In the 14th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai tonight, i.e., Monday, April 1 at 7:30 PM IST.
Back at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, MI would be hoping to score their first win of the season. Like always, the side tends to start the campaign on a dry note but steadily builds serious momentum as the season progresses. The unit has showcased decent form in both of its outings, losing to Gujarat Titans (GT) in a close encounter and hammering 240 in a 270-run chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Without Suryakumar Yadav, the team still looks composed, primarily because of Naman Dhir, MI’s new find. Moreover, with Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, and co. being in good form, fans can expect a high-scoring match tonight. In both games, captain Hardik Pandya made a few dubious decisions that should be addressed in tonight’s contest. It’s unclear how MI approach as a bowling unit after Jasprit Bumrah bowled his second over in the 13th over against SRH.
On the other hand, RR began their 2024 IPL campaign on a strong note, with the side winning both of its matches while defending. Notably, at the Wankhede, it will be tough to defend with dew coming in at the latter stage of the match. Nonetheless, if there’s one team that can do the impossible, it’s RR. The Ravichandran Ashwin–Yuzvendra Chahal combination, infused with new ball bowlers Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, and Avesh Khan, who can equally be lethal in the death overs as well, can be a tough team to beat. The Rajasthan-based unit’s major concern could be Jos Buttler’s form. Playing in Wankhede can help him regain his sweet touch, while Mumbai-based batter Yashasvi Jaiswal can also provide a positive impact at the start. Skipper Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag are also in great form and can hammer MI bowlers real hard.
Head-to-Head:
In the head-to-head competition, MI hold an advantage against RR. The two teams faced off each other 28 times, with Mumbai winning 15 and Rajasthan winning 12.
In the last game between the two teams, which took place in the last edition, MI won by six wickets.
Where-to-watch:
OTT: JioCinema