MUMBAI VS. BANGALORE: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 1 | 3 CONTESTS THAT CAN DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THE MATCH
The 2021 edition of the Indian T20 League will begin with a blockbuster clash between two-time defending champions Mumbai and three-time runners-up Bangalore on Friday.
The match will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. There will be no home advantage for anyone as all the teams will play at neutral venues as per the schedule. The pitch in Chennai is generally slow and assists the spin bowlers more. Because both teams are used to playing on generally fast and flat pitches, the venue will bring strategy changes for both teams coming into this game. A typical high-scoring match is unlikely to happen here.
Keeping all that in mind, let’s look at the 3 Contests that can decide the outcome of the match in favor of one team or the other.
1. Virat Kohli vs Trent Boult
Kohli is the second-highest run-scorer for Bangalore against Mumbai Indians in the league. He has scored 695 runs from 29 matches at an average of 27.8 against them at a strike rate reads 126.82. Last season, he was dismissed for just 3 and 9 in the two matches between these two teams.
Trent Boult had a brilliant last season, picking up 16 out of his 25 wickets in the powerplay, at an economy rate of 6.72 in 36 overs. In the first overs of the innings, he took 7 wickets at an economy of 4.86. Boult has troubled Kohli by bringing the ball into him on previous occasions and has dismissed Kohli six times overall. With Kolhi opening the innings for Bangalore, this will be a key match-up for both teams in the first game.
2. AB de Villiers vs Jasprit Bumrah
A battle of Best vs Best. Bumrah has made his name in the cricket world because of his yorkers and death overs bowling in the league since his debut. Of his 109 wickets in the tournament, he has picked 61 wickets in overs 16-20 at an average of 20.51.
AB de Villiers is known for playing some breath-taking shots and has the highest strike rate in the death overs (233.1 in 67 innings). He has scored at a strike rate of nearly 150 against Bumrah in the league, having been dismissed just once.
3. Rohit Sharma vs Yuzvendra Chahal
Rohit Sharma is considered to be one of the best players of pace bowling in the white-ball format. But in recent times, he had his problems against the spinners. He fails to read them properly and struggles with his timing too. He has a low average and strike rate (16.83 and 108.91) and a high count of dismissals against spin in the last 3 editions of the league. He was dismissed 5 times by the spinners in the recent matches against England.
Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a tidy spell of 4-1-6-1 when Bangalore last played in Chennai. Overall, Chahal has bagged 19 wickets in 13 matches against Mumbai with the best figures of 4 for 38. With the surface assisting the spinners and given Rohit’s recent troubles against spin, this contest between the two could very well decide the outcome of the match.
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