IPL 2020, MI vs SRH: 3 player battles to watch out for

With Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals joining the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 playoffs, the last league game of the tournament will decide which would be the final team to make it to the next round.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will have the envious task of defeating Mumbai Indians in match number 56 of IPL 2020 at Sharjah on Tuesday.

A victory for SRH will lift them into the IPL 2020 playoffs owing to their superior run-rate over Kolkata Knight Riders. On the other hand, a loss to MI of any magnitude will be enough for SRH to be knocked out and push KKR into the top four.

There is not much to pick in the MI-SRH rivalry as Mumbai have a slender 8-7 lead by virtue of their triumph over Hyderabad in the last meeting in IPL 2020.

As SRH try to overcome MI in the must-win encounter, here are three player battles to watch out for.

#1. Ishan Kishan vs Sandeep Sharma

Ishan Kishan

If Mumbai have managed to dominate at the top of the innings without their prolific skipper Rohit Sharma, it has been due to the attacking instincts of the young and adventurous Ishan Kishan.

Ever since moving to the top of the order, the 22-year-old has registered scores of 68 not out, 37, 25 and an unbeaten 72 in IPL 2020. Kishan has taken the aerial route with ease and has rarely looked in any kind of trouble.

Sandeep Sharma

SRH will be opening the bowling with the accurate Sandeep Sharma. The 27-year-old medium pacer has 10 wickets to his name in as many games this season at a strike rate of 24 and an impressive economy of 7.22.

In SRH’s last three matches, Sharma has excelled with figures of 2/29, 2/27 and 2/20, with the last two coming in winning causes. His ability to stifle batsmen with tight lines has resulted in him picking up crucial wickets.

Sharma's tussle with Kishan at the top of the order will be a battle between the adventurous and the veracious.

#2. Suryakumar Yadav vs Rashid Khan

Suryakumar Yadav

MI’s middle-order stalwart Suryakumar Yadav was recently in the news for his stare-off with RCB and India skipper Virat Kohli during MI's contest against RCB.

Yadav has had yet another impressive season, putting the team in strong positions time and again.

But, it has not been enough for the 30-year-old to earn an India call-up yet. The consistent performer will be keen to carry on his great run. In 13 IPL 2020 matches, Yadav has notched up 374 runs at an excellent strike rate of 153.27 with three fifties.

Rashid Khan

SRH’s lead spinner Rashid Khan has been key to the team’s success in IPL 2020 yet again. He has brought all his experience into play and his variations have resulted in a number of major scalps. Amazingly, even when teams have tried to play him out, Khan has found a way to get past the batsmen.

The leg-spinner’s numbers in IPL 2020 speak for themselves. In 13 matches, he has 18 victims to his name at a strike rate of 17.33 and an exceptional economy of 5.07. Being equally prolific, it will be difficult to pick a winner between Rashid Khan and Suryakumar Yadav.

#3. Manish Pandey vs Rahul Chahar

Manish Pandey

While David Warner, Jonny Bairstow and, of late, Wriddhiman Saha, have been the batting linchpins for SRH in IPL 2020, Manish Pandey has made an impact in his typical unconventional manner. His affinity to throw his wicket away remains, but Pandey has also come up with some match-winning knocks.

The 31-year-old has notched up 380 runs in 13 IPL 2020 matches at a strike rate of 127.51 with three fifties. With a place in the playoffs on the line, Pandey will be expected to bring his experience into play.

Rahul Chahar

As mentioned above, Pandey has often gifted his wicket away with some ungainly strokes. This is the weak area of his game that young leggie Rahul Chahar will look to exploit.

While Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah have run riot, Chahar has also made a significant impact with his tight line and length apart from his variations.

In 13 IPL 2020 games, Chahar has managed to snare 15 wickets at a strike rate of 18.80 and an economy of 7.70. He will look to entice Pandey into playing a false stroke. It remains to be seen if the latter will fall into the trap.