Indian T20 League 2022: Match 18 – Bangalore vs Mumbai – Preview, Playing XIs, Pitch Report & Updates

The 18^th match of the Indian T20 League sees Bangalore take on Mumbai at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday. The two teams have had contrasting fortunes in the tournament this season. After losing their first game, Bangalore have bounced back brilliantly with two respective wins in their last two matches.

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However, on the other hand, Mumbai- the most successful franchise in the history of the tournament, have all lost three games played so far in the competition. They would be keen to earn their first win in the tournament.

Team News:

Mumbai

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Surprisingly, Mumbai are currently languishing at second from the bottom of the table. They have played three games and lost all three of them. Mumbai looked like winning the last game against Kolkata before Pat Cummins played one of the best knocks in the history of the tournament to snatch the victory from the jaws of defeat. Riding on a 36-ball 52 from Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai notched 161 runs in the first innings.

They picked wickets at regular intervals and denied Kolkata to stitch big partnerships. However, Daniel Sams’ 16^th over of the innings turned things around completely and Kolkata eventually won the game by 5 wickets. Ahead of the next game, Mumbai aren’t likely to give Daniel Sams’ another chance to prove his mettle.

Players to watch out for:

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1. Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan has looked solid so far this season. He has dished out consistent performances with the bat and is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament. In 3 matches, he has already hit two fifties and would be looking to add one more on Saturday. Kishan needs to continue his good form if Mumbai ought to bounce back in the competition.

2. Rohit Sharma

There is no denying that Mumbai are a much weaker unit than the one played in the last couple of years. Skipper Rohit Sharma has to take responsibility on his shoulders and score big runs for the team. He started the campaign on a good note but has failed to continue in a similar fashion. Ahead of the next game, one could see a big knock from the Hitman.

3. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is the pillar of this batting unit. He is currently one of the best batters in the shortest format of the game. Mumbai missed him badly in the first two games. He arrived in the third game and stole the show with some sensational ball-striking. The Indian batter scored 52 runs in 36 balls, a knock which was laced with 5 fours and 2 sixes.

Probable Playing XIs:

Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Jaydev Unadkat

Bangalore:

Bangalore would be brimming with confidence after having won their last two matches, despite the fact the likes of Maxwell and Hazlewood are yet to play a game this season. In a big boost for them, Glenn Maxwell is likely to be available for them in the next game against MI. However, Josh Hazlewood is yet to join the camp. Ahead of their match against Mumbai, Bangalore would be looking to continue the winning momentum.

Players unavailable: Josh Hazlewood

Players to watch out for:

1. Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis played a stellar knock of 88 runs in 57 balls in Bangalore’s opening game against Punjab. However, he hasn’t made a great impact with the bat, since. Du Plessis would be eager to score another match-defining knock on Saturday.

2. Virat Kohli

Ahead of a highly anticipated game on Saturday, once again, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli. He hasn’t been in the best of form but fans would be eager to see him get back amongst the runs. The upcoming match could well be the game that could see a turnaround in his fortunes.

3. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell is likely to play his first game for Bangalore this season on Saturday. He scored the most runs for the franchise last year and helped them reach the playoffs. Whether he would be able to replicate a similar performance, once again, for the franchise remains to be seen. Maxwell will definitely be a man to watch out for on Saturday.

Probable Playing XI:

Faf du Plessis, Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, ,  Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep

Match Details:

Date: 18th April 2022

Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune

Time: 7:30 PM

Streaming Details: Star Sports Network for TV, Disney+ HotStar for online streaming

Pitch Report:

The 18^th match of the Indian T20 League 2022 is scheduled to be played between Bangalore and Mumbai at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The 14^th match between Mumbai and Kolkata was also played at this very ground. There was extra bounce for the seamers. The ones who could hit the hard lengths looked threatening and also picked wickets. Once again, the bowlers which could hit the deck hard can have a great time at this surface.