IPL 2021 – Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians taking place? Friday 23rd April, 2021 – 15:00 (UK)
Where is Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians taking place? M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Where can I get tickets for Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians? IPL 2021 matches will initially be played without spectators but visit the official IPL website for any further updates
What channel is Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians on? Sky Sports will be televising this match
Where can I stream Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians? Sky Sports subscribers will be able to stream the match live vis the Sky Go website or app
THE TEAM NEWS
PUNJAB KINGS
- The Punjab Kings have been in poor form in recent games as they have lost their last three to Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad and the manner of two of them and their woeful batting will be a major concern for them.
- Nicholas Pooran’s abysmal IPL campaign went from bad to worse last time out as he was run out without facing a single ball so he now has scores of 0,0,9,0 in his four innings and this could well be his last chance in the starting line-up before somebody like Dawid Malan gets a chance.
- They made two radical changes in the last game by bringing in all-rounders Moises Henriques and Fabian Allen for pace duo Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, and given how poor they have been, more changes could well be on the cards.
MUMBAI INDIANS
- Mumbai Indians sit in an unfamiliar halfway position in the IPL ladder coming into this game as they have won two and lost two but they will be eager to bounce back after another poor batting display saw them register 137/9 against the Capitals before losing by six wickets.
- Whether they have won or lost their matches, there has been some consistency in their performances so far as their batting has been sub-par but their elite bowling attack continues to keep them competitive.
- The line-up has been pretty settled and they are notoriously loyal to their regular starters so it seems unlikely they will make any radical changes and Jayant Yadav could even retain his place after coming in last time out.
THE PREDICTION
Neither the Punjab Kings nor the Mumbai Indians come into this crunch clash in good form but it is the Kings who look to have real problems. Neither their batting nor their bowling units are playing well and the radical changes made last time out which did not help matters, only served to heighten their issues. They have to drastically improve and with the names in their line-up they can of course win any game if one or two of them find some form. Ultimately though, the Indians have far more all-round quality and have arguably the best bowling unit in the tournament which does not bode well for a struggling batting line-up. The Indians’ batting has to improve too however and that is what makes this match less predictable. They should however have the edge and they are just as likely to improve as the Kings are. The defending champions have to be preferred to win here.
