MI vs SRH : MI win the toss and bat first, fans hoping for a miracle

Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 08 October 2021, 07:30 PM IST

When Rohit Sharma said “Best thing is KKR are playing ahead of us, so we will exactly know what we need to do in the final game,” he wouldn’t have expected to be confronted with this – Mumbai Indians need to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 171 runs and can only bat first.”. MI’s fate could be decided as early as the toss. Even if they do bat first, they need to post 250+.

If only this game was played on a road of a pitch in Sharjah with all of MI’s batters in form, they could have dreamed of that miracle, but we are in Abu Dhabi for this one and they are up against a side that’s traditionally known to be a good bowling outfit in IPL history.

Abhishek Sharma | SRH: The biggest frustration so far was waiting for my chance. When you’re trying your best in the nets and through the domestic season as well, you need to find your place in the playing XI but SRH is a very big team in IPL, so I had to try very hard for my position. They are giving opportunities now, I have to avail all of them. 

Suryakumar Yadav | MI: “Nothing changes, everything remains the same, all routines, all processes same. You get up, you follow everything, whatever you have been doing for the last 8-10 years, so everything remains the same.

Contribution for the team – that has been a little disturbing from my side because since the last 2-3 seasons I have been always trying to be there whenever the team required. This year I have not been part of contributions so that’s been hurting a lot more.“

Mumbai Indians have won the toss and have opted to bat

Rohit Sharma: “We are going to bat first, no choice (smiles). The numbers are pretty scary, but we are going to give it all. Let’s hope we can come out and do what we love to do. It’s important to enjoy the game as well. It’s been an on and off season for us. This is a great opportunity for us to do something that’s never been done before.

Our batters have’t come collectively and performed as a team in the UAE leg. But these guys have done exceedingly well for respective teams. Just can happen. Two changes. Getting Krunal back and Piyush Chawla back. No Tiwary and Jayant Yadav.”

Manish Pandey: “My first game as IPL captain. Last minute call. Kane had a niggle on his elbow, Bhuvi has a niggle too. We would have batted first too. We will look to bowl first and look to give Bombay little chance. I know they are going to come all guns blazing but we are ready.”

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Trent Boult

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Abhishek Sharma, Manish Pandey(c), Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Umran Malik, Siddarth Kaul

Most matches before captaincy debut (IPL):
153 Manish Pandey *
137 Kieron Pollard
111 R Ashwin
107 Sanju Samson
103 Bhuvneshwar Kumar