3 player battles to watch out for in MI vs LSG, Match 67 of IPL 2024 ft. Rohit Sharma vs Mohsin Khan
Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match number 67 of the ongoing IPL 2024 at the Wankhde Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, May 17. It will be the final league-stage fixture for both teams.
The five-time champions Mumbai were the first to be eliminated from the playoff race this season. Under the leadership of new skipper Hardik Pandya, they have managed to win just four of their 13 games.
Currently languishing at the bottom of the points table, MI would look to salvage some pride by claiming a consolation victory over LSG. A victory here will also help them avoid the wooden spoon.
Lucknow's run, on the other hand, has been quite a mixed bag. They have shown glimpses of brilliance but failed in terms of consistency. KL Rahul and company have six wins to their name in 13 games and occupy the seventh spot in the standings.
They still have an outside chance of finishing in the top four. However, their net run rate of -0.787 would hinder them even if they manage to trump Mumbai, as they would still end with 14 points.
LSG clinched a four-wicket win over MI when the two sides met earlier in IPL 2024. Marcus Stoinis' impactful 62-run knock helped the side successfully chase down a 145-run target in 19.2 overs.
Here, we take a look at three match-ups that could have a significant impact on the result of the MI vs LSG clash.
Jasprit Bumrah (MI) vs Nicholas Pooran (LSG)
If not rested, Mumbai's pace-bowling spearhead could be skipper Hardik Pandya's trump card against Lucknow's explosive batter Nicholas Pooran. Their contest in the death overs could be a mouth-watering one for the fans.
Bumrah has had the upper hand over Pooran in the past. The southpaw has scored just 13 runs from 18 balls while losing his wicket twice to the Indian speedster in the league's history.
With 20 wickets at an exceptional economy rate of 6.48, Bumrah is currently second in the Purple Cap list. Pooran has also had a good season, amassing 424 runs across 13 innings at a strike rate of 168.92.
Ishan Kishan (MI) vs Ravi Bishnoi (LSG)
Mumbai's opening batter Ishan Kishan scored a quick-fire 40 in the team's previous contest against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The onus will be on him to provide his team with a flying start this time as well.
To counter Kishan, Lucknow captain KL Rahul could be tempted to use leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in the powerplay, given the bowler's impressive record against the dynamic batter.
Bishnoi has given away just 32 runs from 30 balls and dismissed Kishan four times. It is worth mentioning that the 25-year-old averages just 20.23 against leg-spinners in the IPL.
Rohit Sharma (MI) vs Mohsin Khan (LSG)
Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma's form has come under scrutiny following a string of underwhelming performances. He scored an unbeaten 105 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a losing cause, but it has all been downhill for him since then.
Rohit will look to get a big score under his belt, as he gears up for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. However, he could be troubled by LSG's left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan early on.
The seasoned campaigner has been out to left-arm pacers five times in 12 innings in IPL 2024. Mohsin also dismissed Rohit when the two sides faced each other for the first time in this edition.