MI vs RR Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2023 match?
Several key current Rajasthan Royals (RR) players once turned out for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Jos Buttler, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult are among those who have donned the blue and gold but now ply their trade for the inaugural champions. This is perhaps a fitting depiction of how far the IPL has come and how many seasons have transpired.
The two teams are now set to contest the 1000th game of the league at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 30.
MI vs RR hasn't been a boring fixture by any means, with some notable moments including Aditya Tare's last-ball six having adorned the clash. The two sides will meet for the first time this year, though, with contrasting recent records.
Rajasthan have been one of the teams to watch out for this year. They've plundered runs in the powerplay, with Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal tearing bowling attacks apart. Their middle order has been the emergence of a few talented youngsters, while their bowling attack has been fairly reliable.
Sanju Samson and Co. are currently sitting pretty in second place, with 10 points from eight matches and the best net run rate in the league.
Mumbai, on the other hand, have had a campaign that has been marred by inconsistency and clear issues in the bowling department. The fact that some of their key players, including Suryakumar Yadav and Jofra Archer, haven't come to the party due to various form and fitness issues hasn't helped matters.
The five-time champions find themselves a lowly ninth in the IPL 2023 standings and desperately need a turnaround in fortunes.
MI have won three of their last five contests against RR, who have proven to be tough opponents in the past. The head-to-head record may not mean much on Sunday, though.
IPL 2023, MI vs RR Match Prediction: Royals look to keep pace with table-toppers
MI's new-ball bowling hasn't been particularly threatening this year. Arjun Tendulkar and Jason Behrendorff have had their moments, but they might not be able to trouble openers of the pedigree of Buttler and Jaiswal.
Mumbai's middle-overs bowling has been heavily reliant on Piyush Chawla, while their death bowling has been nothing short of woeful. Even if Archer, who missed the previous game, returns for this one, they might struggle to contain the Rajasthan batters.
The Royals, meanwhile, will look to their new-ball pairing of Boult and Sandeep Sharma to produce some early breakthroughs. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan have looked rather shaky, although the latter has come up with some important innings this year.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been in stellar form, while Yuzvendra Chahal is bound to be back amongst the wickets soon despite a brief lean spell. The spinners could prove to be the difference between the two sides.
Overall, while there might seem to be a mismatch on paper, this clash could prove to be closer than expected. Apart from home advantage, MI will be able to rely on their power-packed batting unit to chase down any total RR might put up.
While the home side are definitely in with a chance, the Royals could be slight favorites for this IPL 2023 contest.
Prediction: RR to win Match 42 of IPL 2023.