Middle-order woes continue for Mumbai

Harshal Patel

Mumbai Indians (MI) are staring down a deep hole of not qualifying for the playoffs. Their middle-order and lower-order woes continue as they slipped into the seventh position after their Sunday night loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Virat Kohli & Co managed a par score of 165-6 in the allotted 20 overs with the skipper (51 off 42 balls) giving them momentum. Srikar Bharat with 32 off 24 balls and a devastating Glenn Maxwell (56 off 37 balls) put the foot on the accelerator.

Maxwell in murderous form

Maxwell has flattered to deceive over the years. In this game, he was able to showcase his murderous form and innovative use of the reverse sweep to take the game away from MI.

Considering MI conceded just nine runs in the last two overs, one thought it would be a tighter finish than what panned out.

MI's middle and lower-order have been a problem in the second leg of the IPL. After Rohit Sharma (43 off 28 balls) and Quinton de Kock (24 off 23 balls) they caved in and how!

The sequence of 9,8,5,7,3,0,0,5,0 (runs scored by other MI batsmen) says more about why MI have been losing games.

Also Read: KKR playing fearless and attacking cricket

Harshal, Chahal on song

Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal and Maxwell, all picking up wickets economically ensured the dangerous lower-order MI batsmen got no opportunity to make a match out of this game.

Patel, the miser, has time and again shown that he has the ability to pick wickets and suffocate oppositions with the use of the slower balls and the yorkers.

RCB with this clinical win look the team to make the playoffs. I say look like because turnarounds in this format are possible.

One look at MI and you know even the best of teams can struggle when form and confidence deserts you.

Also Read: Captain MS Dhoni was sharp and intuitive as ever