Kings XI Punjab look to put it past visiting Mumbai Indians
Hosts Kings XI Punjab will eye a turnaround their unfavourable record this season on home ground at the PCA Stadium here, when they take on Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here on Wednesday.
The match presents the perfect opportunity for the hosts to post their second win here in four matches against opponents they beat at the Wankhede in Mumbai a couple of days back.
The visitors, on the other hand, will be keen to clear their mind of the reverse and start afresh and may even have in mind a win as a present for Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 39 on Tuesday.
Both teams are still trying to come to terms with injuries to key players. Kings’ skipper Adam Gilchrist hasn’t been in the pink of form in the season, and his injury now has put an extra burden on Shaun Marsh and stand-in-skipper David Hussey.
Lasith Malinga’s absence from the Mumbai side is a big dent in their bowling prowess and although Munaf Patel has shouldered the responsibility, the definitive edge that the Sri Lankan would have provided is missing.
The Kings will be bolstered by the fact that Marsh, their only batsman showing some sort of form in the tournament so far, hit a match-winning unconquered half century against the same attack in MI and will be motivated to repeat his Sunday act.
Kings’ only win at this venue came in their first match here, which incidentally, was thanks to another unbeaten knock by the Australian against the Pune Warriors.
Hussey will also be pleased to see strike bowler Praveen Kumar finally opening his wickets tally in the seventh match.
Mumbai have lost two matches in a row at home and haven’t really matched the pre-tournament hype of being one of the better balanced teams.
Tendulkar’s presence provides stability at the top but Rohit Sharma hasn’t fired barring his knock against the Deccan Chargers.
Kieron Pollard has made up for his batting failures with wickets.
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