Mumbai face growing KKR threat

Match facts

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)

Big picture

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders still stand a theoretical chance of making it to the play-offs, and are better placed than some other teams to spoil a party or two. They have made Rajasthan Royals' job tougher after beating them comprehensively at Eden Gardens, and will be a threat to Mumbai Indians, who they face on Tuesday.

Knight Riders may need to win each of their remaining matches to entertain hopes of staying alive; Mumbai could jump to second place should they win, else will feel a little less secure, especially if Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Daredevils in the afternoon. Mumbai, though, are on a high after inflicting a thrashing on Chennai Super Kings, who, by their own captain's admission, were complacent after seven wins in a row. And in a season where playing at home has played a decisive role, they'll be favourites when they take on Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.

Form guide

Mumbai Indians: WLWWW (most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLLWL

Players to watch

Mitchell Johnson has bowled with intensity this season, something that was evident when he helped Mumbai defend 139 against Super Kings. He bowled with pace, got the ball to move about and, in the company of Lasith Malinga, is perhaps part of the best fast-bowling duo this IPL.

Amid the clutter of stars in each team, the contributions of players like Rajat Bhatia are sometimes overlooked. If the track at the Wankhede Stadium plays as slow as it did in the game against Super Kings, Bhatia, with his medium-pace cutters, will be hard to dispatch. He's picked up nine wickets in 11 games for Knight Riders this season, at 27.88 with an economy-rate of 7.41.

Stats and trivia

• Sunil Narine is six short of 100 wickets in T20 cricket. His career economy-rate in T20 cricket is a remarkable 5.40.
• Jacques Kallis has scored the most runs off Lasith Malinga in the IPL, 74 off 56 while only being dismissed once. Shane Watson has taken him for 67 off 38. Yusuf Pathan is sixth on the list, with 42 off 35.

"It's a very good start that I have got. Out of five games I have won four and lost one. I would take that result as a captain. But I am not going to relax. We still need to play good cricket for the next five games and get to the play-offs comfortably."
Rohit Sharma on captaining Mumbai Indians