Dubai: Two teams in vastly different situations following their opening matches clash when the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL) 2014 focus shifts to Dubai for the first time on Saturday.
Reigning champions Mumbai Indians are in the doldrums after their heavy 41-run defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, while Royal Challengers Bangalore are on a high after thrashing Delhi Daredevils by eight wickets with 20 balls to spare on Thursday.
For Mumbai, the game in Abu Dhabi was a wake-up call following their 2013 triumph. With Sachin Tendulkar now acting as an “icon” in the dugout, the team are going to have to find a new hero on the pitch.
It all began brightly for the Indians against Kolkata, with opening bowlers Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga keeping the score down to 10 for one after three overs. The pace pair bowled impressively throughout to take a combined five for 46 from eight overs, but it was the back-up bowlers who suffered at the hands of Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey.
Much has been expected of Kiwi prospect Corey Anderson, but the all-rounder’s three overs went for 33 runs and he also failed with the bat as he was bamboozled by Sunil Narine on his way to just two from eight balls. Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh and Kieron Pollard were also expensive, so the management may be tempted to turn to West Indian medium pacer Krishmar Santokie or South African quick Marchant de Lange for Saturday’s match.
Mumbai’s batting was also kept in check, with key man Michael Hussey struggling at the top of the order, while too many of the later batsmen were unable to get the spinners away.
Bangalore, meanwhile, will take to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium pitch in good spirits after making light work of Delhi, even though they were without West Indian big hitter Chris Gayle, who is expected to return from a back injury against Mumbai.
RCB have long been known for their powerful batting line up — with the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and AB de Villiers teaming up with Gayle this season.
But it was the bowlers who impressed as the Daredevils were restricted to 145 batting first in Sharjah. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc did well on his IPL debut and Albie Morkel, Varun Aaron and young spinner Yuzvendra Chahal were all economical.
Yuvraj and Kohli then wasted little time in knocking off the runs and all RCB fans will be glad the former seems to have shaken off his lethargic batting performance in the recent World Twenty20 final, for which he took so much criticism.
The only concern for Bangalore, who are two-time IPL runners-up, is that they make sure to avoid the same problem of last season, when they also made a fast start before quickly fading and eventually missing out on the play-offs altogether. A second successive victory on Saturday would go some way to easing those fears.
