Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians have once again got off to a slow start in the T20 league. After two games in IPL 2023, Rohit Sharma’s side are yet to open their account following up on a disappointing 2022 season where they finish dead-last on the Points Table. On Tuesday, they will take on Delhi Capitals in match No. 16 of the IPL 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar believes one of the major reasons for Mumbai Indians’ struggle is that players are failing to string crucial partnerships. “MI’s biggest problem since last season till date has been the lack of partnerships. Unless you have big partnerships, it is difficult for you to score big. MI has been seen struggling continuously in this regard. MI should have built their innings on short but useful partnership between Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, but they failed,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.



Like MI, the Capitals are also yet to win a match in the IPL 2023. DC have played three matches and lost all of them so far. Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody reckons Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner should increase the tempo because scoring runs at a brisk pace is crucial for the side in powerplay overs.


“It’s not just the volume of runs David Warner needs to score for Delhi Capitals. He also needs to set the tempo in the powerplays, which has gone a little down. I would love to see him take the game head-on early, especially when the Impact Substitute rule provides the team more flexibility,” Moody was quoted as saying on Star Sports network.


Meanwhile, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan hailed the nail-biting encounter between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants which LSG won last night. Despite defeat, Pathan backed RCB to make it to the playoffs should they do well in their remaining home games.


“RCB have had their fair share of injury concerns in this season as several key players have been ruled out. They are missing their key pacers in Josh Hazelwood and Reece Topley due to injuries. But, I believe, RCB spinners will have to rise to the occasion now at M Chinnaswamy. Only then they will aid the fast bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Wayne Parnell. If RCB end up winning their next 2-3 games at home, I am seeing RCB in the playoffs,” Pathan said.