A sudden blitzkrieg of mammoth chases secured Mumbai Indians their sixth win of the season by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. This victory has helped them move up to the No. 3 position from their previous No. 8 position on the IPL 2023 points table. The team has seen a surge in performances, down to individual brilliance and reveling in the clutch moments as a team.
Change in fortunes
After struggling earlier to find their rhythm and hit their stride as a team, MI witnessed a change in fortunes after chasing down 215 against Punjab Kings. The win boosted confidence within the set-up as they went on to achieve another successful 200+ chase at the Wankhede against Rajasthan Royals, chasing 212.
Wednesday's win against RCB was another well-crafted chase thanks to a stellar performance from Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. The two players played crucial roles once again, as MI chased down a daunting target of 200.
Ishan Kishan gave the team an excellent start, smashing four fours and four sixes. Even the usually potent Mohammed Siraj was treated with disdain, as Ishan played a wide range of shots in the powerplay. However, Wanindu Hasaranga stopped the run flow in his first over by removing Ishan Kishan and MI skipper Rohit Sharma.
Players in focus
Mumbai's change in fortunes has been down to their marquee players stepping up. With questions being raised about Surya Kumar Yadav's dwindling form, the versatile batsman has stepped up to the fore at the right moment, smashing 3 half century scores in the last four games.
The meteoric rise of Nehal Wadhera and the youngster coming into his own has solidified the middle order, which was proving to be the Achilles Heel in the early stages of the tournament.
Australian duo of Cameron Green and Tim David has added to the batting and power hitting arsenal, as has been evident in the last few games as Mumbai cushioned themselves as chase masters. While Green could be cautious in his early approach while exploding later, David has played the quintessential T20 batsman role by taking the bowlers to the cleaners from ball one.
Rohit Sharma's form a worry
Rohit Sharma, is currently experiencing his worst IPL season yet, as he has not been able to score a single half-century. With only 191 runs in 11 games this season, he also has a below-par average of 17.36. This slump in form has been concerning for the entire team, as they heavily rely on Rohit for an action-packed opening in their innings. Mumbai Indians will undoubtedly be eager to see their skipper get back to his usual scoring ways to help the team regain their momentum in the tournament.
