IPL 2022, MI vs PBKS, Match Prediction: Can Mumbai end its winless misery against a relentless Punjab?

Mumbai Indians is up against Punjab Kings in Match 23 of IPL 2022. While MI is winless, it will look to end it against a relentless PBKS. Here is the match preview and predicted winner.

It could be a tricky game on the cards as record five-time former champion Mumbai Indians (MI) will be up against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 23 of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). Wednesday, the game will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. As MI looks to end its winless misery against a relentless PBKS, we present the match preview, along with the predicted match-winner.

Current form
As said above, MI is winless this season, having lost all the four matches played so far. Its last game was against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which it lost by seven wickets. As for PBKS, it has played four matches, winning a couple each. Its previous game against Gujarat Titans (GT) ended in a defeat by six wickets.

Teams strengths-weaknesses and players to watch
MI is heavy with the ball, but the department has struggled. Although its batting is not that weak either, all it lacks is a win. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer should step up.

For PBKS, it has a heavy bowling attack. However, its batters are dangerous too and cannot be taken lightly. Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Kagiso Rabada and Rahul Chahar are expected to put on a show.

Injury concerns and head-to-head
None of the teams is suffering from any injury concerns. In the 28 meetings between the two, MI leads 15-12, while in 23 clashes in India, MI has a 23-12 lead. It would be their maiden encounter in Pune.

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Weather and pitch report
The weather in Pune will be hot, with an expected temperature between 24-40 degrees, while humidity will be just 21%. The track will play out even, with something for both batters and bowlers. However, the teams winning the toss will still prefer chasing, with a hint of dew expected later in the evening.

Probable XI
MI: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Dewald Brevis, Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen/Ramandeep Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills/Jaydev Unadkat and Basil Thampi.
PBKS: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma/Rishi Dhawan, Odean Smith/Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Varun Arora and Arshdeep Singh.

Fantasy XI
Batters: Varma, Suryakumar, Rohit, Dhawan - Rohit and Dhawan will give a blazing start, with Suryakumar firing at number three while Varma dominates in the middle order.
Wicketkeeper: Kishan - He happens to be a no-brainer here, thanks to his marvellous batting form.
All-rounders: Livingstone (c) - He has been heavily impactful with the bat, while his dependability makes him the skipper.
Bowlers: Ashwin, Thampi, Mills, Chahar (vc), Rabada - Ashwin and Chahar have given some tough time to the batters with their tricky spins, while the remaining trio continues to be impressive with their pace.

Match details
Date and day: April 13, 2022 (Wednesday)
Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Time: 7.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (also available in HD and other regional languages)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
Prediction: PBKS wins; toss might play a factor