Mumbai hold upper hand in crucial tie as Hyderabad's top pacer Bhuvneshwar is out injured; Dhawan, Yusuf doubtful too
Mumbai players celebrate the wicket of Rahul Tripathi during their match against Rajasthan in Jaipur on Sunday. Pic/AFP
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Defending champions Mumbai are experiencing a tough time with only one win to show in five games. However, Rohit Sharma & Co will find comfort in the fact that their today's opponents - Hyderabad - will not have their bowling spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"Bhuvi did not travel with us [to Mumbai]. He may play the next match," Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson told the media yesterday. It is learnt that the India swing exponent is yet to recover from a back spasm. The Hyderabad' woes don't end with Bhuvi. Opener Shikhar Dhawan and attacking batsman Yusuf Pathan too are doubtful for today's battle at Wankhede Stadium. The atmosphere at the iconic venue is expected to be fantastic on Mumbai mentor Sachin Tendulkar's 45th birthday.
Hyderabad Bhuvneshwar Kumar (left) and skipper Kane Williamson
"Shikhar is currently undergoing a fitness test at the ground. We are hoping he'll be fine for tomorrow's game. I'm not 100 per cent sure how Yusuf is. He did have some cramps, but hopefully he'll be okay and come through tomorrow night," said Williamson whose team lost to Chennai by four runs in Hyderabad on Sunday. Talented Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan went for plenty in his last two games, but his captain was confident of him bouncing back. "Rashid is a world-class bowler. In T20 cricket anyone can be put under pressure; any bowler can be hit.
That's the nature of the game but he has learnt a huge amount in such a short period," said Williamson, who has scored half centuries in his last three games. Unlike Mumbai, Hyderabad began the tournament with three consecutive victories before being defeated by Punjab and Chennai.
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