MI vs SRH Preview – Mumbai set high hopes against bottom-placed Hyderabad

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians will host Sunirsers Hyderabad at the Wankhede on Sunday, May 21, in their last league match of this year’s edition. The home team, who head into the contest on the back of a disappointing defeat against Lucknow Super Giants, need to win the game to keep themselves alive in the hunt for a playoff spot.

The Mumbai-based outfit were in the driver’s seat in their last match after Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma gave them a blistering start in the chase. However, the middle-order batters succumbed to the pressure in the latter stages of the match to record a narrow loss against fellow contenders LSG.

Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad have got nothing to lose in the tournament and will be looking to end the tournament on a high by winning their last league match after an underwhelming IPL 2023 campaign. Aiden Markram’s side will be looking to spoil the party for the five-time champions in their upcoming match.

Pitch and conditions

The surface at the Wankhede is a nightmare for the bowlers as the shorter dimensions of the ground favour the batters. While the toss doesn’t really play much of a factor in Mumbai, the team winning the toss will be inclined to bowl first at the venue, given the nature of the surface.

Venue details: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Last T20 match at the venue: MI- 218/5 (20 overs) GT- 191/8 (20 overs)

Here’s the probable playing XI for Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad:

Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma’s men succumbed to a disappointing loss despite controlling much of the game in their last outing. However, Rohit’s return to form, coupled with Ishan Kishan’s purple patch, will please the Mumbai-based outfit. But the MI bowlers’ struggles in the death overs is a big concern for the five-time champions.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s mind-boggling effort with the bat against RCB, the Orange Army ended up on the losing side as their bowlers failed to back the performance of the South African dasher in the second innings.