With play-off hopes hanging by a thread, MI take on KXIP

Hosts Mumbai Indians will fancy beating a floundering Kings XI Punjab when both sides face-off in a must-win match in the Indian Premier League here tomorrow.

After a string of losses initially, Mumbai's hopes of making it to the last four were revived after three straight wins, but their eight-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday has again put them on the back foot.

While Mumbai are in sixth position with five wins from 12 games, a stuttering KXIP have slumped to the fifth spot with 12 points having suffered their fourth defeat yesterday in five games.

Mumbai, with an excellent net run-rate, need to put behind the humiliation by the Royals and come out with all guns blazing against an equally jittery KXIP, who have lost their way in the second half of the tournament after starting strongly.

Mumbai's middle order was yet again exposed in the last game when their batsmen, including skipper Rohit Sharma, failed miserably.

Only Suryakumar Yadav has been among the runs on a consistent basis and MI would be pleased with the return to form of West Indian opener Evin Lewis. These two will be banked upon to provide an excellent start.

But they need the others down the order especially skipper Rohit to contribute big. Save his match-winning knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore here, Rohit has failed to perform to his potential and MI need him in cracking form, backed up by the Pandya brothers Hardik and Krunal.

MI's bowling too has been a worry. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik and left arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan will have to bowl cleverly to stop the rampaging K L Rahul and Chris Gayle from scoring big runs.

All three may come up with a short-ball attack on the rival openers as Umesh Yadav showed with great success last night for RCB. The role of leggie Mayank Markande (14 wickets) will also be crucial along with that of Krunal Pandya,
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