01 April,2024 10:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Hardik Pandya (Pic: AFP)
MI vs RR live updates: IPL's perennial slow-starters Mumbai Indians under new captain Hardik Pandya will hope for a happy homecoming when they take on a confident Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.
Despite the change at the helm with Pandya replacing five-time title-winning skipper Rohit Sharma -- a move that has sparked brutal attack on the former -- Mumbai Indians have once again made a familiar disappointing start to their IPL 2024 campaign as they lost their first two matches.
A six-run defeat to Pandya's former team Gujarat Titans was followed by a walloping by Sunrisers Hyderabad who won the record run-fest by 32 runs in Hyderabad, with Mumbai Indians plummeting to the last spot in the 10-team points table.
These are still early days in the 17th edition of the T20 league but Pandya's Mumbai Indians will need to end their losing streak and improve their Net Run Rate which is the worst among all teams at -0.925.
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Among the odds stacked up against them is the absence of Suryakumar Yadav, who remains on the sidelines as he is recovering from two separate injuries which have kept him away from the MI camp in IPL 2024.
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Even though Mumbai Indians enjoy a 4-1 head-to-head record in their last five meetings with Rajasthan Royals, the home side will have a tough task at hand given Sanju Samson's team has turned up all guns blazing to begin their IPL season with two wins.
A big score is due from Rohit who has provided strong starts to Mumbai but what they truly need is Pandya to get his decisions right. Pandya has evidently not used Jasprit Bumrah to the best way possible and Mumbai Indians will have a chance to iron out such flaws.
Bumrah and Piyush Chawla bring the element of experience to the table in the MI bowling attack which has shown trust on local boy Shams Mulani, who is relatively new at the IPL stage but immensely experienced when it comes to playing at the Wankhede Stadium.
MI: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, N. Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Luke Wood, Romario Shepherd, Gerald Coetzee, Shreyas Gopal, Nuwan Thushara, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma, Kwena Maphaka.
RR: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian.
Wicketkeepers: Ishan Kishan, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (VC)
Batsmen: Yashasvi Jaiswal (C), Rohit Sharma
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag
Bowlers: Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bowl against Mumbai Indians in their IPL match on Monday. While MI decided to go with the same playing XI of their previous match, RR brought in Nandre Burger in place of Sandeep Sharma, who is not fit.
The two teams are coming into the match following contrasting results. While RR have registered two wins so far, MI have lost both their matches to lie at the bottom of the points table.
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Jasprit Bumrah, Kwena Maphaka
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nandre Burger, Yuzvendra Chahal
10: 58 PM: RR: 127/4 (15.3 overs)
In form Riyan Parag's fifty guides Rajasthan Royals to their third consecutive win in the IPL 2024.
10: 50 PM: RR: 101/4 (14 overs)
Ashwin departs in Madhwal's over. Impact player Shubham Dubey joins Parag to chase the target.
10: 38 PM: RR: 87/3 (12 overs)
Parag-Ashwin duo slowly take the side to victory. Rajasthan Royals reach 87 for the loss of three wickets.
10: 30 PM: RR: 73/3 (10 overs)
Riyan Parag and Ravichandran Ashwin stabilize Rajasthan's innings. RR need 53 runs in 60 balls.
10: 18 PM: RR: 60/3 (8 overs)
Akash Madhwal bags his second wicket. Buttler departs after scoring 13 runs, Rajasthan Royals accumulate 60 runs after the completion of 8 overs
10: 08 PM: RR: 46/2 (6 overs)
Rajasthan loses the wicket of skipper Samson. In form Riyan Parag joins Buttler in run chase.
9: 56 PM: RR: 41/1 (4 overs)
Despite the early blow, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson continue to bat aggressively.
9: 45 PM: RR: 17/1 (2 overs)
Opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal departs early. Kwena Maphaka secures his first IPL wicket. Rajasthan Royals reach 17 runs in 2 overs.
9:18 PM: 125 (20 overs)
Mumbai finish with 125 for nine in 20 overs, Royals take the early lead at Wankhede
9:07 PM: 114/8 (18 Overs)
Only 12 balls remaining with David and Bumrah in the middle for MI.
8:55 PM: 111/7 (16 Overs)
Mumbai pin hopes on Tim David to get his side to a respectable total. As of now, RR in complete control with seven wickets down just 111 runs on the board.
8:47 PM: 97/7 (14 Overs)
Tilak Varma 32 (29) gets caught by R Ashwin out bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal. Mumbai in troubled waters at the moment.
8:34 PM: 89/6 (12 Overs)
The plan to bring out Piyush Chawla early in the innings has not worked for MI and now Tim David walks in with 4 wickets remaining.
8:22 PM: 77/5 (10 overs)
Pandya departs as he gets caught by Rovman Powell near the boundary rope. Yuzvendra Chahal gets his first wicket of the night.
8:12 PM: 65/4 (8 Overs)
It is upon Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma to carry MI to a respectable total tonight.
8:03 PM: 46/4 (6 Overs)
Ishan Kishan caught behind by Sanju Samson bowled by Trent Boult. Hardik Pandya takes charge against the RR bowlers. Mumbai Indians would really love to see their skipper in form tonight.
7:50 PM: 16/3 (3 overs)
Boult has struck thrice and all three are first ball ducks. MI in deep trouble as Dewald Brevis walks back.
7:40 PM: 1/2 (1 over)
Naman Dhir gets out LBW by Trent Boult in the very next ball of Rohit's dismissal. Mumbai Indians on the backfoot now.
7:32 PM: 1/1 (0.3 over)
Rohit Sharma dismissed for a golden duck after Sanju Samson takes a brilliant catch at the stumps.
7:30 PM: Match begins!
Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma open the batting for Mumbai, while Trent Boult attacks the stumps for Rajasthan with the new ball.
