MI vs SRH Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2023 match?
Only one playoff spot remains in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), and it has come down to the final day of the league stage.
The first encounter on Sunday, May 21, will see the Mumbai Indians (MI) continue their quest for an Eliminator spot against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). Rohit Sharma and Co. will need to beat the Orange Army and wait to see how the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) clash pans out later in the day.
Mumbai can reach 16 points with a win, but their net run-rate is in the negative zone. They will take heart from the fact that SRH are placed dead last in the standings, with only four wins from 13 matches. Aiden Markram and Co. have also notched up just one victory in their last five matches.
MI don't have any winning momentum on their side either, though. They fell narrowly short against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their previous game, with Mohsin Khan holding his own against Tim David and Cameron Green in the final over.
However, home advantage will work in their favor, as will the impact of their win over SRH earlier in the season. Green's all-round show was the difference between the two sides on that occasion.
IPL 2023, MI vs SRH Match Prediction: Rohit Sharma and Co. eye elusive playoff spot
SRH just haven't clicked as a unit in IPL 2023. Barring Heinrich Klaasen, none of their batters have stepped up and delivered. In the bowling department, only a few names such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mayank Markande have met expectations.
Hyderabad are bound to rest and rotate for their final game of the season. Umran Malik is bound to get a look-in, with Markram making some strange comments at the toss of the previous game regarding his non-selection. A few other bench players might also get the chance to impress.
MI have a few concerns of their own. Tilak Varma has been missing from the side with an injury for a while now, and Chris Jordan has proven to be an unreliable IPL performer yet again. The spin attack, meanwhile, appears to be heavily reliant on veteran leggie Piyush Chawla.
Despite that, though, Mumbai should be able to hold on for the win in a season-defining clash. They need to win to keep their season alive and have already come up with some scintillating batting performances at the Wankhede Stadium.
Anything can happen in a game of cricket, and the SunRisers will be able to play without the weight of expectations on their shoulders. However, MI are the better side and should come away with the two points.
Prediction: MI to win Match 69 of IPL 2023.