Dire Kings XI already in must-win territory

Sunday, May 3, 2015
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)

This is a game between sides that played the most positive Twenty20 cricket over the last two IPLs. In 2013, Mumbai Indians by playing five specialist bowlers, five specialist batsmen and a wicketkeeper-batsman. If six can't score the runs in 20 overs, seven won't make a big difference. No specialist was sacrificed for a bits-and-pieces players. In 2014 Kings XI Punjab didn't think of what-ifs, and put their best batsmen at the top. Twenty overs is a short time, make use of it.

This year is proving it is easy to implement such idyllic plans only if your players are in form. Kings XI have two wins from eight games, and Mumbai are only slightly better at three. Mumbai have lost two overseas players, and Lasith Malinga is no longer the threat he was two years ago; Kings XI's top order can't buy a run, and Mitchell Johnson and Glenn Maxwell haven't quite warmed up yet.

If Kings XI win this game, they might just sink both the teams. To end up in the top four you roughly want to want half your matches; if Kings XI make it three wins each for these teams, both will need to win each of their last five games. Suffice to say Kings XI can't afford to lose this one.

The only game in Mohali so far was played on a track so green it was hard to tell it from the outfield. The ball swung around, and Sunrisers Hyderabad - the best swing attack in the competition - beat the hosts by 20 runs. Expect Johnson to come back, and a bit of a showdown between the quick bowlers of both the sides.

Kings XI Punjab LLLWL (last five matches, most recent first)
Mumbai Indians WWLWL

The Vs of Kings XI. Virender, Vijay and Vohra. None of them have had a big innings with more than half the competition over. Look no further for the main source of trouble. Their power-packed middle order has hardly had a hit without having to worry about rebuilding. Whichever of the two play on Sunday will have to give Kings XI a decent start to build on from.

Ambati Rayudu finally came good for Mumbai Indians in their win over Rajasthan Royals, but one in eight for a batsman who doesn't bowl and is not asked to take the responsibility of batting in the top four can't be good enough. Rayudu will have to kick on for Mumbai to have a chance of progressing from here.

"The big thing is to not let these performances define us."
George Bailey on the rut the team finds itself in

"We are starting to peak our performance right now."
Rohit Sharma after beating Rajasthan Royals