MI vs RCB: Get ready for mouth-watering IPL clash at Wankhade

If Mumbai Indians stopped the Super Kings in their tracks when new recruit Dwayne Smith smashed Ben Hilfenhaus for a six and two fours off the last three balls, RCB were no less impressive in pulling off a thrilling victory over Deccan Chargers, says a report in The Indian Express.

“AB de Villiers' 17-ball unbeaten 47 swung the game RCB's way and he, along with another in-form batsman Chris Gayle, is a major threat to Mumbai's hopes of pulling off their fourth straight victory. A victory for MI would boost the points tally to 16 with four games left and would help them draw level with Delhi Daredevils, albeit with one game less in hand,” says the report, adding that more importantly it would ease the pressure enormously from their shoulders in the red-hot race to the last-four.

“A setback for last year's runners-up RCB would put them under the same sort of difficulties that are being faced by two-time holders Super Kings after their defeat to MI.”

Meanwhile The Times of India writes that as Team Mumbai and Team Bangalore square off in a potentially mouth-watering IPL clash at the Wankhede Stadium, here, on Wednesday night, you can’t but marvel at how both teams are battling similar problems. Barring the fact that the hosts are third on the points table, compared to the men-in-red’s fifth, both Mumbai and Bangalore, have an identical tale to narrate in IPL-V.

“The teams have overly depended on two batsmen to either set a big score or chase down totals. While Mumbai must thank Rohit Sharma (293 runs from 11 games @29.30) and Ambati Rayudu (208 runs
from 11 matches @34.66) for scripting unbelievable heists, the visitors have engineered miraculous jailbreaks through the efforts of West Indies’ Chris Gayle (433 runs from 10 games) and talented South African, AB de Villiers (292 runs from 11 matches),” writes TOI, adding that there’s another similarity in the form of underperforming captains, but world class spinners at the international level, leading the teams.

“Harbhajan Singh, captain of Mumbai, may have got 406 sticks in 98 Tests, but in 11 games this IPL, he has picked up five wickets at 50.20. Meanwhile, Team Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori has also ‘grabbed’ five wickets at 47. He too has 359 Test scalps in 111 Tests.”