The Rising Pune Supergiant are already safely into the Indian Premier League final and on Friday afternoon we will find out who they will play in Sunday’s showpiece occasion when the Mumbai Indians face the Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 2.
Mumbai Indians would have been hoping they wouldn’t have had to make the detour to Bangalore for this match but they earned a second chance at glory by topping the table. Kolkata have already come through one knockout match and face another one now.
Mumbai Indians
Topping the table after 14 regular season matches counted for nothing for the Mumbai Indians when they were soundly beaten by the Supergiant in the first qualifier on Tuesday. That was on home soil for the Indians so if they are to make the final they are certainly going to have to do it the hard way.
One crumb of comfort that Mumbai can draw on is the fact they have already won in Bangalore this season. That won’t count for much but it does mean that their batsmen have combatted this wicket with success and that will be a confidence boost. Despite defeat to Pune on Tuesday, Mumbai look one of the best all-round sides in the competition.
Kolkata Knight Riders
The Knight Riders were looking good for a top two finish themselves for much of the season but they lost their form and their mojo at the wrong time and ended up finishing fourth. They went some way to making up for that with their win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator on Wednesday but there is still work to do.
The worrying thing for Kolkata is how their batting, for much of the season their undoubted strength, has suddenly begun to let them down. They are going to need someone to handle the pressure for them with the bat in this match else they could be up against it throughout the game especially given the knockout element of it.
Team News
With the wicket assisting the spinners more in Bangalore this season it could be that the Mumbai Indians send for Harbhajan Singh for this encounter. It could be that Mitchell McClenaghan misses out.
Kolkata Knight Riders are without their international overseas players who have left and now must do without Manish Pandey who has picked up an injury which will keep him out of the rest of this tournament and the Champions Trophy.
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Betting
I’m only going with the one bet in this match and it is on the Mumbai Indians to win it. Kolkata’s batting is beginning to worry me and the absence of Manish Pandey does nothing to negate those concerns.
Mumbai won the last meeting between the two with most of the bench players in so with their first choice side available here they must be liking their chances. Mumbai have a good record against Kolkata and for me were the best side in the first phase of the tournament and I believe that can count for something here. I’m with Mumbai.
Tips
WON – Back Mumbai Indians to beat Kolkata Knight Riders for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Betbright
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