3 things MI need to do right to defeat GT in IPL 2023 Qualifier 2
The Mumbai Indians (MI) are on the warpath at the moment and with championship mentality instilled, the team comes across as a scary opponent.
The five-time champions made the perfect statement by ruthlessly defeating Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator.
The emergence of Akash Madhwal comes at a right time for MI as they are slowly restoring their lopsided balance between their batting and bowling unit.
MI's biggest asset comes in the form of their middle order, which has been on red hot form in the second half of the tournament.
MI will face GT in Qualifier 2 of the 2023 IPL at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, May 26. The winner of the contest will face the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the final for the coveted title on Sunday, May 28, at the same venue to bring the 16th edition to a close.
On that note, here are three things MI need to do right to defeat GT in IPL 2023 Qualifier 2
#1 Beef up their bowling attack; bring Kumar Kartikeya in
MI's bowling have stepped up across the last few matches and tweaking their spin department might be the final finesse to make it a relatively well-rounded one.
Off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen has never been a wicket-taking option and the lack of that ability proves to be costly in the shortest format.
With Piyush Chawla donning the role of the lead spinner to perfection, MI need one more candidate to pair him with in the middle overs.
Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya comes across as the perfect option as compared to Shokeen. He has picked up five wickets in seven matches in IPL 2023, and has played in both of the team's matches against GT in the campaign as well.
GT are also facing a difficult time sorting out their middle order, and as a result, the performance of the spinners might prove to be a deciding factor in the game.
Rohit Sharma and Co. could take a leaf out of CSK's playbook, despite the showdown being contested in a track different from the one at Chepauk.
#2 Delay exposing the middle order as much as possible
It is no surprise that the real battle is bound to be between the in-form MI batting unit against GT's bowling unit in Ahmedabad.
Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan have taken a combined total of 51 wickets in the season so far and will have their task cut out against a rampant and endless MI batting unit.
Shami's overs with the new ball will be extremely crucial. MI should ideally try to not lose any wickets in the initial overs and then leave it to the middle order batters to take down the spinners as the match progresses.
The likes of Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav have done a great job of maintaining the tempo in the event of an early wicket across the tournament so far.
However, the franchise would ideally not want their key batters when the conditions suit the opposition's strike bowler in such a high-pressure match.
#3 Take a gamble by taking on Shami and Rashid
Purple Cap holder Mohammed Shami has been wicketless against MI in their two league meetings so far this season. The right-arm pacer was economical during the home encounter, but was taken to the cleaners at the Wankhede.
Taking on Shami was crucial for MI as it helped them post a mammoth target, and that approach could be on the cards again as well. While it will be a huge risk, the reward will be significant as well.
If GT's bowling spearhead is carved apart by the openers and the spinners are dealt with Suryakumar Yadav's intricate sweeping, then Hardik Pandya will be searching for answers within his bowling group, especially with him not bowling these days.
Who will win the Qualifier 2 contest between the two sides in IPL 2023? Let us know what you think.