Mumbai Indians eye victory against South Australia
After a stunning loss in the tournament-opener, Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians would be determined to post a win when they take on South Australia in a Champions League Twenty20 Group B match here on Tuesday.
The Indian Premier League runners-up started their campaign in the showpiece event on a disappointing note, going down to Highveld Lions by just nine runs in Johannesburg in the first match of the tournament.
But Lions then fell prey to South Australia, who beat the local side by 11 runs in another keenly contested encounter in Centurion.
Batting is not a worry for the Mumbai team with in-form Tendulkar opening their innings with Shikhar Dhawan, followed by experienced players like South African J.P. Duminy and the hard hitting West Indian Kieron Pollard coming down the order.
Tendulkar cracked a 62-ball 69 in the previous match and took the team close to a win but his effort went in vain as the lower-middle order failed to contribute with the bat.
Ambati Rayudu, who is playing in the one-down position, and R. Satish also have to find their touch as soon as possible to help the team post a fighting score or chase down a stiff target.
Left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan will spearhead the Mumbai bowling attack, while the team will also expect early breakthroughs from fast bowler Ryan McLaren. Seasoned off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga can also make batsmen's life miserable at the floodlit Kingsmead ground.
But high on confidence after starting their campaign in style, the Michael Klinger-led South Australia would put up an all-out effort to beat their Indian opponents.
Klinger himself is in good touch and scored a breezy 78 off 67 balls in their previous encounter, while his batting colleagues Callum Ferguson and Graham Manou are also capable of changing the calculations of a match.
But South Australia need a good opening partnership against the Mumbai Indians and Daniel Harris has to play his role along with skipper Klinger if they are to negotiate the stiff challenge the IPL team is gearing to throw at them.
Paceman Shaun Tait opened the bowling attack for South Australia in the last match and scalped three wickets for 36 runs but his new-ball partner Gary Putland was not that economical.
Another fast bowler Daniel Christian, however, produced some timely breakthroughs later to help the team beat Lions and this time also Klinger would not hesitate to give the ball to him at crucial junctures.
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