Bangalore vs Mumbai player battles: Bumrah faces daunting challenge against in-form du Plessis

Team Bangalore will take on Team Mumbai in Match 18 of Indian T20 League 2022 at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday, April 9. The match will start at 7:30 PM IST.

Mumbai and Bangalore enter the fixture with contrasting form guides. While Mumbai have lost three games on the trot, Bangalore have won two of their last three.

Bangalore’s start to the latest season makes them favorites to defeat Mumbai, despite the latter enjoying a superior head-to-head against Bangalore - 17 wins in 29 meetings.

Bangalore vs Mumbai key player battles

Faf du Plessis vs Jasprit Bumrah

Faf du Plessis leads the run charts for Bangalore and will be the biggest batting threat against Mumbai’s misfiring bowlers. The Bangalore captain has scored 122 runs in three matches and will fancy going all out against Jasprit Bumrah.

In six meetings, du Plessis has hit 58 runs off 34 deliveries at a strike rate of 170.58. Bumrah, meanwhile, has failed to dismiss the former even once and thus, there will be increased pressure on the 28-year-old to rediscover his best on Saturday.

Rohit Sharma vs Mohammed Siraj

Rohit Sharma’s rough patch for Mumbai this term could end this weekend when the Mumbai captain takes on Bangalore’s Mohammed Siraj.

In six head-to-head meetings, Rohit has hit 50 runs off 36 deliveries without losing his wicket to Siraj. The latter, meanwhile, has three wickets in three games this season and will be out to wreak havoc upon Rohit and Co.

Featured photo: AFP / MANJUNATH KIRAN / PUNIT PARANJPE