The match 31 of IPL 2023 between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, 22 April promises to be an exciting contest. Mumbai is on the sixth position in the points table, while Punjab is on the seventh position.
MI, led by Rohit Sharma, have won three and lost two matches so far, while PBKS, captained by Shikhar Dhawan, have won three and lost three matches in their campaign. In the last match, MI, secured a comfortable victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Meanwhile, PBKS were dominated by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) 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 fourth win in the IPL 2023. Both teams have played five and six matches. Mumbai has won 15 games, while Punjab has won 14 games so far in the head to head encounters.
Also Read: IPL 2023 Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Weather Report for Match 31
Here are three player battles to watch out for during MI vs PBKS match:
1) Rohit Sharma vs Arshdeep Singh
In recent games, Rohit Sharma has been in good form, and his scores have corresponded to MI’s victories. He has focused on maximizing the powerplay by taking on the bowlers right from the first ball. However, Sharma will face a challenge in contending with the left-arm pace of Arshdeep Singh, who has been Punjab’s most consistent bowler since his debut. Arshdeep’s sharp bouncer can surprise batters, and Sharma has struggled against left-arm pacers in the past. This should be an intriguing battle between two players from different generations.
2) Liam Livingstone vs Piyush Chawla
Piyush Chawla has been in top form this season, and his variations have gotten the better of most IPL 2023 batsmen. However, it was Heinrich Klassen who finally attacked Chawla in the middle overs and paid the price with his wicket. Liam Livingstone is another aggressive batsman who shares a similar approach to Klassen. It will be an intriguing contest to see these two players with different cricketing backgrounds battle it out.
3) Tilak Varma vs Rahul Chahar
Rahul Chahar’s aggressive style of bowling earned him a lot of accolades during his time with Mumbai Indians. However, he has been a silent performer for Punjab this season, keeping RCB’s openers in check in their last game. Tilak Varma has been MI’s standout batsman since IPL 2022 and has shown he is unfazed by both pace and spin. Varma will target Chahar in the middle overs, and the outcome of this matchup could have a significant impact on the game’s result.