The 2017 edition of the IPL is down to the last two teams with two-time champions Mumbai Indians taking on Rising Pune Supergiant in the all-important finals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. This match is likely to be the last time RPS play in the IPL while it will also be the last time this bunch of players turn out for Mumbai.
Mumbai finished at the top of the points table but lost to Pune in the first qualifier. With that loss, they took a longer and more complicated route to the finals. The Rohit Sharma-led team beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier to make it to the final where they will take on the team that have defeated them thrice this season already.
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Mumbai will hope that all their players come good on the night and help the team win the IPL title for a record third time. Let us take a look at how the Mumbaikars will line-up for the big finale.
Openers
The 2017 IPL has been one of the most productive seasons for Mumbai Indians’ wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel. With 391 runs in 13 matches, the Indian international has been Mumbai’s best batsman this season and the left-hander will look to finish the season on a high by giving his team a good start.
After the departure of Jos Buttler, Lendl Simmons was roped into the playing XI to open with Parthiv. The West Indian has played just one good knock in this tournament and has been quite unlucky thus far. He will look to repeat his heroics from the 2015 IPL final, where he scored a quick-fire fifty against the Chennai Super Kings.
Middle order
The middle-order, especially the form of captain Rohit Sharma will be a big concern for the team management. The right-hander has scored 309 runs in 15 innings this season, something that is way below the standards he has set for himself. He is a big match player and thrives under pressure. The IPL final is the perfect stage for the Mumbai batsman to prove his critics wrong and lead his team to their third IPL crown.
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After missing a majority of the IPL season due to injury, Ambati Rayudu returned to the playing XI in Mumbai’s last league game against Kolkata Knight Riders and played a match-winning knock.
Due to that, he was retained in the XI at the expense of Nitish Rana but has failed to score runs in the last two matches. In all likelihood, the team management will go in with the experienced Rayudu over the rookie. Rayudu played an important role in Mumbai’s last two finals and will look to repeat the same at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on May 21.
All-rounders
Kieron Pollard came into the IPL after hitting a pale patch for West Indies against Pakistan. But in the ongoing tournament, the big Trinidadian has risen to the occasion and saved his team on a number of occasions.
Mumbai Indians have played three IPL finals so far and in all the three matches, the all-rounder has contributed heavily. Can the right-hander hit those towering sixes and lead Mumbai to victory again?
One of the biggest strengths for Mumbai is the availability of the local players. Speaking about MI’s local players, no one has contributed as much as the Pandya brothers have. Both Hardik and Krunal are vital for the team and can change the course of the match in a matter of balls. Krunal was seen limping during the second qualifier but the left-hander should be fit in time for the final.
Spinner
Replacing Harbhajan Singh in the Mumbai Indians playing XI is not an easy task but leg-spinner Karn Sharma has done that with ease. His spell against Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier helped his team make it to the finals. He will look to continue his good work and win his second IPL crown in two years.
Fast bowlers
Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best death bowlers at the moment and skipper Rohit Sharma has used him wisely this season. The batsmen find it difficult to hit him during the death overs and Bumrah’s spell could be the turning point for his team in the final.
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Lasith Malinga was a part of the Mumbai team during their two IPL wins, however, this time, the Sri Lankan is nowhere near his best. However, RPS won’t underestimate him as the pacer set the stage on fire in IPL 2013 after having an ordinary league campaign. Malinga will take some inspiration from that match and look to help his team cross the line for a record third time.
Mitchell McClenaghan has been Mumbai Indians’ leading wicket-taker in this edition with 19 wickets. He was forced to sit out of the second qualifier against KKR due to an injury and was replaced by Mitchell Johnson. With the Kiwi set to return from injury, he is likely to replace the Aussie in the Mumbai playing XI.
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