IPL Preview: Struggling Mumbai Indians take on laggards Kings XI Punjab

Even as they struggle to find the winning formula, laggards Kings XI Punjab will still fancy their chances when they host Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League cricket here.

Mumbai Indians have so far had a mixed bag having won two games against Kings XI Punjab at home and Royal Challengers Bangalore while losing four.

On the other hand, KXIP, whose performance in the tournament so far has been pedestrian, have managed to notch up just one win from five outings and are placed at the bottom of the points table among the eight teams.

The Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai side suffered defeats against Rising Pune Supergiants, Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils.

In their last match played at Delhi yesterday, the Mumbai outfit lost by 10 runs chasing a victory target of 165.

Rohit (65) and Krunal Pandya (36) were unfortunate to get run out as Mumbai could only manage 154/7.

MI initially struggled to get their team combination right but they did come good with a convincing chase of 170-plus score against Virat Kohli’s RCB.

Two-time title winners, MI slumped to defeats in both their home matches this season  to IPL debutants Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions and have now lost a game in their away campaign as well.

Mumbai’s top-order batting has failed to come good so far barring the captain, who was instrumental in both their wins scoring superb half-centuries.

But in most games, the leading batsmen have failed to click as a unit. Martin Guptill, who replaced injured Lendl Simmons, failed to live upto the expectations in his first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, prompting Mumbai team management to drop him against RCB and Delhi matches.

Much would depend on all-rounder Kieron Pollard as Mumbai look to keep up the pressure on struggling Punjab.