MI vs SRH IPL 2019 preview: Warner-less SRH take on Mumbai to keep play-off hopes alive

SRH’s IPL 2019 season banked on their opening duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow and now with both of them gone, SRH have a task on their hands.  And importantly they are walking on a tightrope as the equations for the playoff complicate.

Winning the last two games will take SRH in the play-offs and to begin with they face the challenge of Mumbai.

Mumbai though have no such worries. Their squad is looking (except de Kock’s exit) and they are placed comfortably in the points table. But Rohit and Co. will want to seal the play-off spot as soon as possible and maybe also try for the top two finish.

Team news:

As Australia call back their World Cup players, there is a Warner sized hole in Hyderabad’s batting line-up. Martin Guptill can get some game time or Hyderabad can even push for Billy Stanlake to enhance bowling strength.

✈ to Mumbai for our penultimate league game! ?#OrangeArmy, your support is always an advantage. See you at the Wankhede tomorrow! ?#RiseWithUs #MIvSRH pic.twitter.com/TFsR0zfEHM

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 1, 2019

Form Guide:

Manish Pandey has found form which should make SRH management happy while their bowling department is going strength to strength. Wiliamson though needs some runs under his belt and so do other middle-order batsmen.

Hardik Pandya’s sensational form is Mumbai’s USP while Pollard, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit have played their parts. Bumrah is yet to deliver his best but he has done well so far while form of Malinga is a big plus.

? Batting tips to our death-overs specialist from one of the best in the business ?#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians @Jaspritbumrah93 @MahelaJay pic.twitter.com/LdCGigARRG

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 1, 2019

Key Numbers: 

• Its an even contest in head to head battles between Mumbai and Hyderabad. Mumbai have won six while Hyderabad have won seven matches.

• In the recent times though, SRH have dominated the proceedings by winning five of the last seven outings. Mumbai however hold advantage at Wankhede stadium as they have won three of the four matches played here.

Players in focus:

With 228 runs and  an average of 32.57, Kieron Pollard has provided the much-needed spine to Mumbai’s middle-order in IPL 2019. And his record against Hyderabad is fantastic. He has 307 runs against SRH in 11 innings and a strike-rate of whopping 143.13. Watch his match-up against Rashid and Bhuvi.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the other hand had a horrific start to IPL 2019 but has recovered well.  He still averages 45.75 with the ball but he can surely inflict decisive damage with the new ball and in the death overs.