In the final league stage match of the season, Hyderabad will take on Mumbai knowing nothing short of a win will suffice to salvage their season. Ahead of this crucial encounter, here are the key facts:
Can Rashid run circles around Mumbai’s aces?
In Quinton De Kock and Hardik Pandya, Mumbai have two batsmen that can change the course on their own, one at the top of the order and the other at the death.
Both players are perennially among Mumbai’s most valuable players for what they bring to the table. Both batsmen love taking on the opposition, with De Kock striking the ball at 135 while Pandya doing so at 175, making them extremely dangerous, but neither has been able to get the better of Hyderabad’s ace Rashid Khan.
In two outings against the leggie, De Kock has scored just 14 runs in 22 balls while being dismissed once by the wily Afghani while Hardik has scored just 18 runs in 33 balls, losing his wicket twice to the leg-spinner.
Hyderabad will be wary of the threat De Kock and Pandya pose, but in Rashid Khan, they may just have the perfect neutraliser for the duo.
| Rashid Khan vs de Kock and Pandya | |||||
| Batsman | Innings | Runs Scored | Balls Faced | Dismissed | Strike Rate |
| Quinton de Kock | 2 | 14 | 22 | 1 | 63.63 |
| Hardik Pandya | 5 | 18 | 33 | 2 | 54.54 |
Players to watch out for
Hyderabad – Jason Holder
Since being drafted into the playing XI, experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has made a world of difference for Hyderabad with the ball. The big West Indian has picked eight wickets in just four matches and is also batting at a strike rate of 172.22, proving to be a difference-maker with both bat and ball. Hyderabad have won three of the four matches with Holder in the side and they will be hopeful that the all-rounder can deliver another big performance against one of the best teams in the league.
Mumbai – Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav continues to be a beacon of consistency for Mumbai as he is closing on a third straight campaign with over 400 runs for the defending champions. The 30-year-old has struck three fifties this season and has proven himself to be a reliable batsman on difficult surfaces for his side. Surya has scored 131 runs in his last three matches and will be looking to cap off the league stage with another scintillating performance ahead of the playoffs.
Stats to watch out:
1: All-rounder Jason Holder needs just one more scalp to complete 100 wickets in T20s.
6: Mumbai Kieron Pollard and Hyderabad's David Warner need six sixes each to complete 200 sixes in the Indian T20 League.
6.22: Hyderabad's Rashid Khan has an economy rate of just 6.22 this season; the lowest in the league.
9: If Warner outscores Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma by nine runs in this contest, he will overtake the Indian opener and become the third-highest run-scorer in league history.
27: Kieron Pollard needs just 27 runs to become the second player to score 3000 runs for Mumbai in the league. Rohit Sharma is the only player to have achieved this feat thus far.
Writer’s pick
Mumbai have absolutely nothing to play for in this fixture and will likely rotate most of their starters and give chances to their fringe players ahead of the playoffs. Hyderabad have everything on the line and will be desperate to get the win to secure a playoff spot. Given that Mumbai will bench a large part of their regular playing XI, we back Hyderabad to win and secure a spot in the playoffs.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee
