The match 57 of IPL 2023 between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Friday, 12th May promises to be an exciting contest. Mumbai is on the fourth position in the points table, while Gujarat is on the first position.
MI, led by Rohit Sharma, have won six and lost five matches so far, while GT, captained by Hardik Pandya, have won eight and lost three matches in their campaign. In their last match, MI secured a comfortable win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Meanwhile, GT also secured a comfortable win a loss against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last match.
Two highly skilled teams are set to collide in what promises to be an exciting match. With both the teams eager to secure their seventh and ninth win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played eleven matches in this season. Mumbai has won 1 game, while Gujarat has won 1 game so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans: Who Will Win Today Match in IPL 2023?
Here are three player battles to watch out for during MI vs GT match:
1) Suryakumar Yadav vs Rashid Khan
To halt Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive form, GT’s top priority would be to find a way to contain him. The MI batsman has been in a sensational form lately, with his 35-ball 83 enabling MI to chase down a target of 200 against RCB. To tackle Yadav, GT could deploy the services of leg-spinner Rashid Khan. Although Rashid has been a proven wicket-taker, he is yet to dismiss Yadav in the IPL, with Yadav scoring 50 runs off 37 balls against him.
2) Hardik Pandya vs Piyush Chawla
The upcoming match between GT and MI will mark a homecoming for GT’s captain, Hardik Pandya, who was once a crucial all-rounder for MI. Pandya has a fantastic record at Wankhede Stadium, having scored 583 runs in 34 IPL games at a strike rate of 147.59. MI’s leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who has taken 17 wickets this season, will aim to get Hardik’s wicket. Chawla has dismissed Pandya twice in the IPL, although the latter has a strike rate of 209.09 against him.
3) Rohit Sharma vs Mohammed Shami
MI captain Rohit Sharma’s poor form has been the talk of the town, having scored only 191 runs at an average of 17.36 in IPL 2023 and coming off five successive single-figure scores. In the next game, Rohit will face a charged-up Mohammed Shami, the joint-highest wicket-taker of the season. Shami has dismissed Rohit twice in the IPL, and it will be a challenging task for Rohit to score against him with a strike rate of 111.76.
