CHENNAI: After heartbreaking losses, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab look to get the momentum when they lock horns with each other in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
While Punjab lost the match against Rajasthan Royal despite posting 223, Kieron Pollard and Ishan Kishan led a remarkable fightback chasing 202 before Mumbai went down to Royal Challengers Bangalore in a Super Over. Both teams have won one and lost two.
The two teams are batting heavy and their pacers' inconsistency in the death overs have cost them the matches.
For Punjab, it was Sheldon Cottrell whose 30 runs in an over proved costly in the last game. For defending champions, their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's form is a concern as he has gone for more than 9.5 runs an over.
With Hardik Pandya yet to bowl a ball after coming back from a surgery, those four overs have hurt the balance of the team badly.
With long boundaries in Abu Dhabi, the likes of Rahul Chahar will be hoping to prove to be vital for Rohit Sharma & Co.
With a batting line-up sans Chris Gayle firing from the word-go, Mumbai's biggest challenge will be to keep the in-form KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal silent.
The Karnataka openers have amassed 400-plus runs between them in just three matches with both of them already having an IPL century to their name this season.
In Rahul's three previous outings against Mumbai, he has scored an unbeaten century and two 70-plus scores. With the Punjab skipper up against an off-colour Bumrah, it will be battle to watch out for on Thursday.
"KL Rahul, he's got runs against us in the last few games as well...We know he's a dynamic player, scores all around the field. We also know that he takes his time generally through the middle overs, so that's perhaps an opportunity - if he gets that far - to create some pressure on him and the batsmen in and around him," said Mumbai bowling coach Shane Bond.
"But we will have specific ideas of how we're going to get him out. In the end, we just can't allow him to score in areas where he's very strong. He scores well over extra cover, the pick-up over fine leg."
For Punjab, Mohammed Shami, the Purple Cap holder, will be aiming to continue his good form against Mumbai. Promising young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin will be key to help the team post second win of the season.