Eliminated from the race to IPL 2024 playoffs, Mumbai Indians (MI) will host Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as both the teams aim to conclude their sorry campaign on a positive note when they face each other at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.
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Mumbai's hopes for playoffs faded long ago, while Lucknow's chances are dim, even if they secure a significant victory in their final IPL fixture in Mumbai.
LSG's recent three consecutive losses not only deprived them of crucial points but also dented their net run rate. A hefty 98-run defeat to KKR, followed by a crushing 10-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, and a 19-run setback against Delhi Capitals have severely diminished their playoff aspirations.
Occupying the seventh spot, LSG's negative net run rate of -0.787 presents a daunting challenge for a resurgence, particularly when Royal Challengers Bangalore, at sixth place, hold a much more favorable NRR of 0.387.
MI, the five-time IPL champions, faced early elimination this season, marking a disappointing start under new captain Hardik Pandya. With just four wins in 13 matches, their best outcome could be reaching 10 points with a victory on Friday, potentially avoiding a bottom-place finish.
The pre-season captaincy shift from Rohit Sharma to Pandya stirred controversy among fans, possibly affecting the team's performance. Despite Jasprit Bumrah's stellar bowling form (20 wickets in 13 matches), the collective effort from the bowling unit was lacking, mirroring the struggles of the batting lineup.
Key T20 World Cup-bound players like Pandya, Rohit, Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav will be under scrutiny, given their importance to India's aspirations in the tournament. While Sharma and Pandya have struggled, Suryakumar has shown resilience with notable performances, including three fifties and a century.
For LSG, skipper KL Rahul's impressive batting form, accumulating 465 runs with three half-centuries at an average of 136.36, hasn't been sufficient to lift the team.
Despite Nicholas Pooran's late batting boosts, the collective effort has faltered, exacerbated by bowling inconsistencies.
(With PTI inputs)
