IPL 2019, Match 47, KKR vs MI, Match Prediction: Who will win today's match?
The struggling Kolkata Knight Riders will host the high-flying Mumbai Indians for match 47 of IPL 2019 on 28 April. The tournament is approaching its business end and each game will have a huge impact on the playoff qualification scenario.
Although KKR's chances are pretty slim, Mumbai will look to win and advance higher up on the points table.
KKR are coming off yet another devastating loss as their pace bowlers failed to make use of a decent target set up by skipper Dinesh Karthik's 97. They ended up losing to the Rajasthan Royals, which was their sixth loss in a row.
Mumbai, meanwhile crushed the Dhoni-less Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. That win will give them immense confidence as they embark on their run for the playoffs.
This has been one of the biggest IPL rivalries over the years, as it involves two teams with two of the hugest fan bases.
Though the playoffs hopes of these teams are quite different, a cracker of a contest can be expected with so many match-winners in these teams. On that note, let's take a look at who has the upper hand in this fixture.
If KKR bat first
KKR are on a 6-game losing streak; their top order has been constantly faltering, leaving their middle order with too much work to do. Chris Lynn, Shubman Gill and Sunil Narine have been out of form and need to get back in touch with some runs in this game.
That said, with so many big hitters - and Andre Russell in their side, KKR can be expected to make a decent score on this beautiful Eden Gardens track; a score of 180-200 runs is par for them. Their bowlers however need to be at their best if they need to defend any score.
If MI bat first
The Mumbai Indians have one of the most versatile top orders in the league and they have done a pretty good job up so far. Rohit Sharma finally got back his touch and played a brilliant knock in tough conditions against CSK, and will want to continue with the momentum at a venue which is one of his favorite hunting grounds.
Their powerful middle order batsmen consisting of the Pandya brothers and Kieron Pollard have been at their belligerent best, belting the ball to all corners during the death overs. Considering the state in which KKR's pacers are, Mumbai can easily post a big total of 190-210 runs.
They also have one of the best death bowling attacks in the league, which is more than capable of defending this score.
Who will win?
Mumbai's strong lineup and winning momentum are certainly big factors, and many would say they would nullify KKR's home advantage. Despite the presence of players like Narine and Russell in the KKR team, expect Mumbai to walk away with the points in this fixture.