IPL 2018, MI vs KKR Match Prediction: Who will win today's match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders 

KKR and MI might just be separated by two places in the IPL 2018 points table but both teams will be desperate for a win as they take on each other at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (May 6).

This will be the first of two games that the two sides play against each other. Rohit Sharma's side need a win to keep their season alive while KKR need one to keep in touch with the top of the table and keep them in good stead for a top-two finish.

How will both teams fare in the crucial encounter at Mumbai, here's a look at what might happen:

Date: 6th May, 2018

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Time: 4.00 PM IST

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If Kolkata Knight Riders bat first

Predicted Score - 175+

Kolkata Knight Riders might be in third place on the table but they know that they need to win to put pressure on not just the top two but also on Kings XI Punjab, who have the same wins as KKR but have played a game fewer.

Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn have not quite set the stage on fire as one might have hoped but they have been quietly effective. While Narine has smashed the bowlers during the powerplay, Lynn has been the accumulator. However, the latter has struggled against spin and it will be interesting to see how he fares against a strong spin duo.

Robin Uthappa has got starts and hasn't really done much with it thereafter. There have been too many twenties and thirties and KKR would want him to convert them. Nitish Rana is unlikely to be fit for this time and that might mean Rinku Singh continues and Shubman Gill might get more of an opportunity to showcase his skills.

Dinesh Karthik has been the ideal finisher so far and with the explosive hitting of Andre Russell in the bank as well, it might be tough to contain this KKR side. MI, who have been pretty poor so far with the ball at the death, will have to up their game and how big the total they concede might just depend on how well the openers fare. Still, given KKR's batting depth, a total in excess of 175 should be the least they expect.

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If Mumbai Indians bat first

Predicted Score - 170+

The equation is pretty simple for Mumbai Indians, occupy fifth spot right now. While their position might seem alright, they are level on points with bottom-placed Rajasthan Royals and are four points behind fourth-placed Kings XI Punjab, who have played a game fewer than MI.

With just three wins on the board and with five games to go, MI realistically need to win all their games to ensure that their hopes of making the playoffs don't rest on them relying on someone else to lose or win.

It would help if someone aside from Suryakumar Yadav performed on a consistent basis for MI. The form of Evin Lewis has been a concern, along with the performances of Ishan Kishan, which have taken a turn for the worse in the past few games.

Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav are the ideal opening pairing, in terms of how they approach the game but they haven't quite clicked. It will be interesting to see where Rohit Sharma plays in this crucial game at home.

Krunal and Hardik Pandya have shown glimpses of their form with the bat and they need to contribute as well, especially against a potent spin trio that KKR have. If they can do that, then a total in excess of 170 should be easily achieved.

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Match Prediction

It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this battle between a batting-heavy line-up and one that has relied on spin to strangle the opposition. The toss will go a long way towards setting the tone for the game as whoever bats second will have an immediate upper hand as both sides prefer chasing. As this is a day game, dew won't be a factor. With both sides needing a victory, margins will be close but home advantage will prove to be crucial.

With an MI batting line-up that is struggling to fire on all cylinders, that might be enough for KKR to come out on top and all but put MI on the brink of not making it to the playoffs.

MI vs KKR Live Score

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