MI vs KKR Match Prediction: With the season on the line, Mumbai Indians will look to make the most of the home conditions as they face the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Wankhede Stadium on Friday evening. The match is scheduled to commence at 07:30 PM (IST).
Match Preview
Good times have been hard to come by for Mumbai Indians this season
Mumbai Indians entered the IPL 2024 season with hopes of challenging for the title, a realistic target given their pedigree and a roster experienced in navigating tough encounters. However, it has been anything but a challenge.
In fact, Hardik Pandya‘s team has struggled to sustain pressure on top-four rivals. They are currently on the brink of elimination from playoff contention, with only a slim mathematical chance keeping their fading top-four hopes alive.
On the form side, Mumbai are the worst team in the league following a run of three defeats in as many games.
Kolkata Knight Riders, meanwhile, are where they envisioned themselves when planning for IPL 2024. The two-time IPL champions hold the 2nd position on the table after winning six times in nine matches. With Rajasthan Royals‘ narrow defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shreyas Iyer and company can close the gap on the top spot to just 2 points with a win in this game.
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MI vs KKR Match Details
Match No | 51 |
Teams | Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders |
Captains | Hardik Pandya (MI) | Shreyas Iyer (KKR) |
Date & Time | May 3, Friday, 07:30 PM |
Venue | Wankhede Stadium |
Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report
Wankhede Stadium is one of the most flattest surfaces in India. Batsmen tend to get aggressive with their shot selection due to the flat nature of the pitch, while the short boundaries also make life difficult for the bowlers.
In the last three games at this venue, the score in the first innings read 234/5, 196/8 and 206/4, while the 2nd innings score in those same games were 205/8, 199/3 and 186/6. That’s enough data to show that this game is likely to see another high-scoring affair.
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MI vs KKR Head-To-Head Record
This is one of the most one-sided rivalries in the Indian Premier League. There’s no other way to put the head-to-head records in this particular fixture. In the previous 32 encounters, Mumbai Indians, believe it or not, as KKR are no slouch, have won an incredible 23 games, while Kolkata won just nine times. It shows that MI simply find a way to win games against Kolkata Knight Riders.
However, in recent seasons, KKR have performed better against the 5-time IPL winners. They have recorded 3 wins in the last five games. Factoring in the form of both teams, KKR will hope to improve their record against MI even further. But MI won the last head-to-head game against KKR in IPL 2023.
Last Meeting Between MI vs KKR (IPL 2023)
KKR: 185/6 (1st innings)
MI: 186/5 (2nd innings)
MI vs KKR Predicted Playing 11:
Mumbai Indians Predicted Lineup:
Ishan Kishan (WK)
Rohit Sharma
Suryakumar Yadav
Tilak Varma
Hardik Pandya (C)
Nehal Wadhera
Tim David
Gerlad Coetzee
Piyush Chawla
Jasprit Bumrah
Nuwan Thushara (IMPACT PLAYER)
Kolkata Knight Riders Predicted Lineup:
Phil Salt (WK)
Sunil Narine
Rinku Singh
Shreyas Iyer (C)
Venkatesh Iyer
Andre Russell
Ramandeep Singh
Mitchell Starc
Vaibhav Arora
Chetan Sakariya / Suyash Sharma
Varun Chakaravarthy
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (IMPACT PLAYER)
MI vs KKR Match Prediction: Best Batters And Bowlers
Mumbai Indians’ leading scorer in IPL 2024
MI Probable highest scorer: Rohit Sharma | Ishan Kishan | Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma is leading the scoring charts for Mumbai Indians this season. He has racked up 343 runs in 10 matches, including 3 scores of half centuries. The 21-year-old is in the form of his life and surely makes for a great captain or vice-captain option in MI vs KKR Dream11 Fantasy cricket teams.
Balls faced | 223 |
Runs Scored | 343 |
4s | 24 |
6s | 18 |
Rohit Sharma may have misfired in the last couple of games, but he is a premium batter who can do the damage in the power play. He has scored the 2nd most runs for MI this season having made 315 runs in 10 matches, including one brilliant century.
Balls faced | 199 |
Runs Scored | 315 |
4s | 33 |
6s | 18 |
With 244 runs in 10 innings, Ishan Kishan is 3rd on Mumbai Indians‘ scoring charts. There’s no denying that these numbers are not good enough for a player of Kishan‘s quality. That might be the reason why he was overlooked for the T20 World Cup. That said, Kishan is someone who can destroy any bowling unit.
Balls faced | 164 |
Runs Scored | 244 |
4s | 26 |
6s | 13 |
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KKR Probable Highest Scorer: Sunil Narine | Shreyas Iyer | Phil Salt
Although Phil Salt is the leading scorer for KKR in IPL 2024 and one of the main reasons why the team is flying so high, away from the Eden Gardens, his numbers are not that great. The four half-centuries that he has scored this season all came at the Eden. However, with the form he is in at the moment, a big score in an away game is not far off. Salt is a red-hot option for either the captain or vice-captain role in MI vs KKR Today’s IPL teams.
Balls faced | 33 |
Runs Scored | 68 |
4s | 07 |
6s | 05 |
Sunil Narine can’t do any wrong these days. He is KKR’s x-factor, a trump card, and a match-winner, in the form of his life. He has outshone many international-level batters in IPL 2024 with his batting, trailing only 20 runs behind KKR‘s top-scorer Phil Salt. He has one century and two half-centuries this season.
Balls faced | 204 |
Runs Scored | 372 |
4s | 40 |
6s | 24 |
Iyer has scored 251 runs in IPL 2024
With 251 runs in nine innings, Iyer is third on KKR‘s batting charts. The only reason why the 29-year-old is third is that he is batting lower down the order, mainly playing as a finisher. In the last two games alone, Iyer has smashed a combined 106 runs off just 69 deliveries, showcasing terrific form at the moment.
Balls faced | 183 |
Runs Scored | 251 |
4s | 23 |
6s | 10 |
MI Probable Best Bowler: Jasprit Bumrah | Gerald Coetzee
With 14 wickets, Jasprit Bumrah is the current Purple Cap holder. His best performance is 5/21, while maintaining an economy below 7. Considering how easily batsmen have scored runs this season, breaking batting records in almost all matches, Bumrah’s numbers are phenomenal.
Balls Bowled | 240 |
Runs Given | 256 |
Wickets | 14 |
Economy | 6.40 |
Despite leaking runs at more than 10 runs per over, Gerald Coetzee has taken 13 wickets. And we all know that wickets give points in fantasy cricket games. Coetzee, in that regard, is a solid option to have in MI vs KKR Fantasy Cricket Grand League or Small League teams.
Balls Bowled | 189 |
Runs Given | 317 |
Wickets | 13 |
Economy | 10.03 |
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KKR Probable Best Bowler: Sunil Narine | Varun Chakaravarthy
Sunil Narine is KKR’s leading wicket taker in IPL 2024
It’s not just the runs, but Narine is also high on the wickets list, which is truly insane. How much more can a player contribute in a game? Narine has taken 11 wickets in 10 matches and maintains an economy rate of 6.86.
Balls Bowled | 216 |
Runs Given | 247 |
Wickets | 11 |
Economy | 6.86 |
Varun Chakaravarthy is also in solid bowling form. The 32-year-old is the joint top-most wicket-taker for KKR in IPL 2024, having taken 11 wickets in 10 matches.
Balls Bowled | 198 |
Runs Given | 298 |
Wickets | 11 |
Economy | 9.03 |
Who Will Win Today’s IPL Match Between MI vs KKR
The six-point difference between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders on the points table reflects both teams’ prowess this season. Inconsistencies and some off-field activities have marred MI‘s season, while KKR is on an upward trajectory, winning games and heading towards the playoffs.
Despite the significant difference in form between the two teams, it’s hard to bet against Hardik Pandya‘s team. Another factor is MI‘s hugely impressive head-to-head record against KKR, which stands at 23-9. Although KKR is in better form, we back MI to win this game. Check out MI vs KKR IPL 2024 odds below:
Chances Of A Win
MI: 53%
KKR: 47%
Disclaimer: The above match prediction is based on the data and instincts of the writer. While picking players for your team, consider the points mentioned above, and make your own wise decision.