Big-city clash may miss biggest star

Match facts

Sunday, May 4 2008
Start time 16.00 (local), 10.30 (GMT)

	Mumbai need to counter the threat of Mohammad Asif and Co © AFP (file photo)

The age-old Ranji rivalry gets a twist: Mumbai, so dominant in recent domestic cricket, are bottom of the IPL table, and the most expensive franchise are clearly struggling. Delhi, the current Ranji champions, are on top and looking a good bet to go all the way. Mumbai are faced with twin headaches: protecting themselves from a rampaging assault by Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, the IPL's most explosive opening pair and among the top run-getters in the event, and overpowering the nagging accuracy of Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif and their backup team of Yo Mahesh, Rajat Bhatia and Farveez Maharoof, who combine to make Delhi the most fearsome bowling attack.

Mumbai's cause isn't helped by the fact that Sachin Tendulkar is unlikely to play. But they must bank on carrying forward the confidence and teamwork they displayed at Eden Gardens in their last match, where they had their maiden victory. Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Pollock once again, will hold the key in what promises to be a contest of aggression against bowling intellect.

Watch out for ...

... Sehwag v Pollock and Jayasuriya v McGrath + Asif + Yo Mahesh is on the menu for Sunday late afternoon. Sehwag has already got a 34-ball century at the ground in a corporate Twenty20 event, so he will look forward to repeating the feat.

Team news

Despite Tendulkar playing a practice game on Friday the team management is still sweating over his fitness. Pollock said on Saturday that Mumbai might stick to the combination that won in Kolkata, indicating Tendulkar's unavailability. The one change, perhaps, could be allrounder Musavir Khote replacing Manish Pandey, who got a duck.

Mumbai (probable) 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Dwayne Bravo, 5 Shaun Pollock, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Pinal Shah (wk), 8 Musavir Khote, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Dhawal Kulkarni.

McGrath was seen holding an ice pack to his right shoulder after completing his spell mid-way into the Chennai game on Friday. Considering Delhi are top of the points tally, they might even give him a break and offer fellow Australian Brett Geeves his second game.

Delhi (probable) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Shikhar Dhawan, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Rajat Bhatia, 8 Yo Mahesh, 9 Glenn McGrath, 10 Pradeep Sangwan, 11 Mohammad Asif.

IPL form

Mumbai Indians: LLLLW
Delhi Daredevils WWLWW

Stats and trivia

Gambhir was the second-highest run-getter in the ICC World Twenty20 with 227 runs in seven matches.

Quotes

"No strategy works if one batsman or one bowler gets going."
Sehwag, the Delhi Daredevils captain

"We will take the confidence of the last game into this game and hopefully we will put them under some pressure. They (Daredevils) obviously have some top players and their top order has performed well."
Shaun Pollock, Mumbai Indians captain.