Kolkata Knight Riders have made it to the finals of the ongoing Indian Premier League and now three teams will fight it out to play them for the esteemed title. In today’s eliminator match Chennai Super Kings will take on Mumbai Indians at Bangalore.
Both the teams were expected to make it to the playoffs before the tournament started, but nobody thought that they will find it so difficult. CSK is very lucky to be in the top four as their fate depended on other teams and they played it into their hands.
Mumbai on the other hand had a very inconsistent tournament so far; they were commanding in some matches and were ordinary in others. The winner of this match will play Delhi Daredevils and the loser will be out of the contest.
Let’s have a look at the players who can make the difference for their side.
Chennai Super Kings:
Michael Hussey: It is a big match and there will be a lot of pressure on the defending champions and if anybody can thrive under pressure its Hussey. The gifted Aussie left-hander is a big match player and a lot will depend on him. His job will be to provide CSK a solid foundation.
Suresh Raina: CSK has struggled throughout the competion because Raina has struggled to find his touch. Chennai always do well when Raina is in full flow. The explosive left hander from India will be looking to play a substantial innings for his team and deliver a knock-out punch to the Mumbai Indians.
Ben Hilfenhaus: He singlehandedly won Chennai two matches and he is one of the major reason that CSK is in the playoffs. But, Hilfenhaus will remember what Dwayne Smith did to him the last time the two teams met and he will be looking to take the revenge on Mumbai batsmen.
Dwayne Bravo: He has been doing a terrific job for Chennai with both bat and ball. Bravo is an intelligent cricketer and has a very positive attitude towards the game. He will be looking to score a point against his fellow West Indians.
Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma: His century at the Eden Gardens is considered to be one of the best hundred in all the IPLs and Mumbai will be hoping that he can pull up the same performance in much friendly conditions. Rohit Sharma is a genuine match winner and scores at a rapid pace.
Dwayne Smith: He made a brilliant 80 in his last innings and he looked in good touch. He opened in the last innings and justified his captain’s decision with a fluent innings. He has the capability to provide the early momentum to the innings and can be dangerous in the first six overs.
Lasith Malinga: He has picked only two wickets in the previous five matches and he will be raring to have a go at the Chennai batsmen. Malinga takes pride in whatever he does and no team can take him lightly. It’s a big match for Mumbai and a lot will depend on this talented Sri Lankan.
Kieron Pollard: He may not look menacing with the ball but he sure is very effective. He bowls at an awkward length and is very difficult to hit down the ground. He has been having a wonderful time with the ball and he will be looking to continue the form.
By Gaurav Jha
Indian Sports News
