Two teams languishing at the bottom of the points table, the storied rivals Mumbai Indians  and Royal Challengers Bengaluru , are set to clash in the 25th fixture of the TATA IPL 2024 at Wankhede Stadium. 

The hosts, Mumbai Indians, are coming into this match with a much-needed boost of confidence after securing a win against the last-placed Delhi Capitals, marking their first victory after three consecutive losses. They clinched a 29-run victory defending a formidable total of 235 runs, thanks to an all-round performance from Sheperd, who blasted 32 runs in the final over and also snagged the crucial wicket of Warner. With contributions across the board and a bowling unit that picked wickets at regular intervals, MI is keen to maintain this winning streak.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru faces a challenging road ahead after losing four out of their five matches. The team has underperformed significantly compared to its potential, with Virat Kohli being the lone beacon of hope in what appears to be a faltering lineup. Currently donning the orange cap with 316 runs at an astonishing average of over 105, including a century, Kohli's efforts have yet to be matched by his teammates, as no other batter has managed to convert starts into substantial scores. Dinesh Karthik has shown flashes of form sporadically. The bowling department raises even more concerns, with Yash Dayal leading with 5 wickets across 5 games. Glenn Maxwell has surprisingly outbowled many specialists, securing four wickets in just three innings, tally matched by Siraj. RCB is desperate for a turnaround to rediscover their winning form.

Head-To-Head in IPL:

In as many as 32 games contested between the two teams, Mumbai Indians  have clear edge over Royal Challengers Bengaluru  by 18:14 wins. At the Wankhede Stadium, both have contested 10 times with MI emerging victorious on seven occasions while RCB winning three games.

Milestones Alert:
 

4 - Virat Kohli (246) needs four sixes to complete 250 sixes in IPL
3 - Ishan Kishan (97) needs three sixes to complete 100 sixes for MI in IPL.
2 - Tilak Varma (48) needs two sixes to complete 50 sixes in IPL.
3 - Mohammed Siraj (147) needs three wickets to complete 150 wickets in T20s
4 - Dinesh Karthik (146) needs four sixes to complete 150 sixes in IPL.
6 - Rohit Sharma (494) needs six maximums to complete 500 sixes in T20s

IPL Stats at Wankhede Stadium (Since 2022):

PITCH REPORT: 
Sanjay Manjrekar and Michael Clarke: " It's a red soil pitch as usual at the Wankhede. Square boundaries are 65m and 59m while it is 74m down the ground. So 200 could be a par score considering the dimensions. The pitch itself is an absolute belter, a batting paradise to say the least. It's been a high-scoring ground, both teams could go aggressive against the new ball in the powerplay. Not much spin on offer. The captain winning the toss would opt to field first and have a target in front".
 

TOSS:
has won the toss and have elected to   first

Hardik Pandya, Skipper: "We will bowl first. There was dew the last couple of days.  The mood before and after the win has been the same. We play every game with a fresh start. Want to put early pressure on the new ball. About the last game I heard it was the highest score without anyone scoring fifty, gives confidence that even one guy batting long can score 234. It has been a chasing ground and looking at the tradition. We have one change Shreyas Gopal comes in for Piyush Chawla."

 
Faf du Plessis, Skipper: " We've tried to change things, so we've given chances to some of our players, some new players and it's up to them to take the opportunity. It's important to give players a decent run, but we've found ourselves in a stage where we haven't done so well. One thing that's important is to be consistent and that's where we've been disappointing. But we know we can turn this around."