IPL 6: Match 15 - MI vs PWI: Pune Warriors India Preview

PWI celebrate their team’s victory against RR

After a disastrous start to their IPL campaign in 2013, Pune Warriors India produced a morale-boosting victory against Rajasthan Royals at home. It was heartening to see a team that was occupying the bottom rung of the ladder, and was on a 11-match losing streak, playing with zest and verve to beat Rajasthan Royals. It was a collective effort by the Pune Warriors team that helped them to get their IPL campaign back on track.

After that victory against Rajasthan Royals, Pune Warriors India will travel to Mumbai to take on the pillaging Mumbai Indians team. If Pune Warriors India beat Mumbai Indians, and that too away from home, it would be nothing short of a gargantuan upset.

Conditions

In the IPL 6, groundsmen have generally left a tinge of grass to hold the pitch together for the entire duration of the match. As the track at Wankhede stadium is usually composed of red soil, it can offer a bit of bounce and turn. But batsmen should find it a good track for batting with even bounce on offer. In the last game that was played here between Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians, we saw a whopping 374 runs being scored.

Key players

Yuvraj Singh - If Pune Warriors India have to do well in this tournament, then they need Yuvraj Singh to fire. He is the linchpin of their batting line-up, as when Yuvraj Singh gets going, he has the ability to take any attack apart with a wide range of shots. In T20 cricket, where slow left-arm spinners can be the bane of any batting side, Yuvraj Singh can be a handy bowler too. In their last game against Rajasthan Royals, Yuvraj didn’t just get the prized scalp of Dravid, but also bowled parsimoniously.

Pune Warriors India batsman Angelo Mathews

Angelo Mathews - Just like Yuvraj Singh, the captain of the Pune Warriors side, Angelo Mathews, hasn’t exactly come to the party. But make no mistake, he is a vital cog in their set up. He can rotate the strike and, when needed, change gears by clearing the boundary boards with utmost ease. As a bowler, Mathews has a well-disguised slower delivery up his sleeve. In short, Angelo Mathews is Pune Warriors India’s calm, cool and collected captain.

Ross Taylor - The stroke-maker from New Zealand has found the wicket at Subrata Roy Sahara stadium a tricky track for batting. But he should definitely relish the even bounce on offer at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. Taylor’s critics opine that he has a limited range of shots, as he mainly targets the mid-wicket region. But they are perhaps slightly unfair on him, as an in-form Ross Taylor is a fine player through the off-side as well.

X-factor

Robin Uthappa - Since his move from Royal Challengers Bangalore to Pune Warriors India, Uthappa has been struggling for runs. But he showed glimpses of what he could do in the game against Rajasthan Royals. Both Malinga and Mitchell Johnson would have noted how Ryan Harris from Kings XI Punjab tucked up Uthappa by bowling back of a length stuff. But even if they allow for a minor slip in their lines and lengths, Uthappa has the ability to take advantage of it, and score quickly.

Possible line-up

Uthappa, Finch, Taylor, Yuvraj Singh, Mathews, Suman, Steve Smith, Nayar, B.Kumar, R.Sharma and Dinda.

Pune Warriors India’s think-tank may go in with the same combination that worked so well against Rajasthan Royals. But there is no harm in taking a gamble by playing Steve Smith in front of Mitchell Marsh.

On paper, Mumbai Indians have a well balanced unit, and they are playing at home. But in T20 format, there is every chance for the unfancied team to cause an upset. Pune Warriors India too can checkmate Mumbai Indians, and eke out a famous victory.