Can defending champions win on Wankhede farewell?

Thursday, April 28, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders have shared the last four IPL titles between them, and their previous matches have served as reminders of why that has been the case. Though Knight Riders had won three of their first four matches, the away win against Rising Pune Supergiants in their fifth match would have been particularly pleasing as it demonstrated that their batting depth can get them out of trouble when Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa fail. Similarly, Mumbai's win over Kings XI Punjab in Mohali came on the back of a solid top-order showing despite Rohit Sharma's duck. A strong bowling effort from their pacers made them just the third team - after Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils - to successfully defend a total this season. As these two star-studded teams begin to harness the depth of their resources, a clash between them is a mouth-watering prospect.

They also become the first teams to meet for the second time this season. In their first meeting, at Eden Gardens, Mumbai convincingly gunned down a target of 188. They are the only team to have defeated Knight Riders so far this season. While Knight Riders will be itching to exact revenge, Mumbai will be desperate to win their last match at the Wankhede stadium this season.

There is an interesting contrast between Mumbai's pace-heavy bowling attack - led by Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan and Jasprit Bumrah - and Knight Riders' spin riches, featuring Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Shakib Al Hasan (with Brad Hogg in the wings). How these markedly different attacks shape up against each other will make for a fascinating sub-plot, with potentially significant implications on the result.

Mumbai Indians: WLWLL (most recent matches first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: WWWLW

Mumbai's bowling has been driven by Tim Southee's pace and swing, Mitchell McClenaghan's aggression and Jasprit Bumrah's excellent yorkers and variations. To the extent that spin has played a role, Krunal Pandya has shone, combining an economy rate of 6.57 with an average of 30.66. Harbhajan Singh, who is meant to be the lead spinner, has been largely ineffective, with an average of 62.66 and going at 8.54 runs an over. He has played all of Mumbai's matches so far, but unless he can improve that record, there may be a temptation to look at other spin options.

Andre Russell has had a fairly low-key start to the season. He has been expensive with the ball and has had only one innings of substance - a 17-ball 36 against Mumbai - with the bat. Knight Riders already have a wide base of players that are performing but if Russell can hit form as well, that would be a massive boost to the side's balance and destructive potential.

Jerome Taylor has been drafted into Mumbai's squad in place of the injured Lasith Malinga, but is unlikely to break into the XI just yet, considering the fine performances of Mumbai's pacers. Mumbai might consider giving Corey Anderson a game, perhaps at the expense of the out-of-form Kieron Pollard. Pollard has scored just 71 runs at 17.75 in six innings and leaked 36 runs in three overs on the two occasions he has bowled.

Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Parthiv Patel (wk), 3 Ambati Rayudu, 4 Jos Buttler, 5 Kieron Pollard/Corey Anderson, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Having shown their batting depth, Knight Riders might be inclined to stick with the same XI.

Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Robin Uthappa (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Andre Russell, 7 R Sathish, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Sunil Narine, 11 Morne Morkel

The Wankhede Stadium is generally full of runs. The three matches played here so far have yielded progressively higher first-innings totals, with 170 scored in the last match, on April 20. On all three occasions, the totals have been successfully chased down. The forecast is for a hot day, with temperatures expected to hit 36C, and no rain. Given the success teams chasing have enjoyed, and dew potentially being a factor later in the evening, bowling first would presumably be the way to go.