Both teams will be playing primarily for pride, before focus turns to the T20 World Cup and then next season’s mega-auction reshuffle

Shashank Kishore16-May-20243:09

Could this be Rohit’s last game at Mumbai Indians?

Match Details

Mumbai Indians v Lucknow Super Giants
Mumbai, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT)

Big Picture

Friday could be an emotional evening, of reflection and goodbyes. Being the final game of the current three-year auction cycle for MI and LSG (that is, barring an astonishing miracle for LSG), it’s possible a number of players from both sides are playing together for one final time. But before the farewells, there’s a game to be won and pride to be salvaged.A win for MI could lift them off the bottom of the points table, depending on how Punjab Kings fare in their final game. Meanwhile, LSG could finish as high as sixth, maybe even fifth, if they win big, depending on how Saturday’s heavyweight fixture, RCB vs CSK, pans out.MI’s backroom has been in constant focus, not least because of the pre-season leadership reshuffle. The two men at the centre of it – Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya – have had challenging seasons. Rohit has managed just 52 runs in his last six innings, with four single-digit scores and a rough 24-ball 19 in his most recent outing at Eden Gardens.Hardik has had one of his worst seasons with the bat. He’s been unable to score a half-century in 12 innings while his bowling returns have also been largely mixed: 11 wickets at an economy of 10.58. With the T20 World Cup looming, India’s captain and vice-captain will be hoping to put in a compelling performance before they leave for the USA.2:15

Jaffer: We may see a different Rohit in India colours

Unlike MI, who endured a horror run right through their season, LSG started well and then stuttered. From having been comfortably placed in the top-half with five wins in eight games, they slumped in the back-half of the tournament. They’ve lost three on the bounce, the most-recent one against Delhi Capitals knocking them out of the playoffs race.The form of their top order hasn’t inspired much confidence, and their overall batting approach has continued to prompt debates over strike rates and intent at a time when a number of other teams have time and again breached the 200-run barrier. LSG’s scoring rate of 8.93 is the second-lowest for any team this year. A breakdown of their numbers across different batting phases makes for grim reading too.So it’s a contest between two teams, possibly at their lowest ebb, looking to end on a high before a much-needed rejig.

Form guide

Mumbai Indians LWLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
Lucknow Super Giants LLLWL

Previous meeting

Marcus Stoinis played a big role in LSG’s four-wicket win. He first dismissed Suryakumar Yadav early as MI stumbled on a two-paced Lucknow surface where dew made their 144 appear a lot smaller than it should’ve been. With the bat, he made 45-ball 62 to lay the foundation of a chase they completed with four balls to spare.

Team news and Impact Player strategy

Mumbai Indians
MI have fielded just two overseas players in their starting XII for two games in a row now. Given this game will be played the Wankhede, they could look to bolster the bowling with fast bowler Gerald Coetzee in place of Naman Dhir. Rohit Sharma and Nuwan Thushara could be swapped in and out as Impact Subs.Probable XII: 1 , 2 Ishan Kishan (capt), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt), 6 Nehal Wadhera, 7 Tim David, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Gerald Coetzee 10 Anshul Kamboj, 11 Jasprit Bumrah, 12 3:02

McClenaghan: LSG needed more from someone like Pooran

Lucknow Super Giants
Quinton de Kock has one half-century in his last eight innings. In seven of those, the 19 he made against DC mid-April is the highest. Maybe this is a chance to try Kyle Mayers, who is yet to get a game this season. Ayush Bodoni could be subbed in, when they bat, for Mohsin Khan.Probable XII: 1 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Marcus Stoinis, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 , 8 Arshad Khan, 9 Yudhvir Singh, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Naveen-ul-Haq, 12

In the spotlight

Hardik Pandya, India’s T20 vice-captain, lends the kind of balance not many do. But he’s been in terrible batting form. However, in recent games, he’s shown some spark with the ball. He’s been high on pace, has bowled his full quota of overs in three of the last four games while picking up seven wickets, including a match-winning 3 for 31 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Some runs in a match-winning cause could bring him, and the Indian team management, some much-needed relief.Nicholas Pooran has proven to be a consistent performer at No. 3 in the T20 circuit over the past two years, having scored eight fifty-plus score in 32 innings. Two nights ago, he struck his second-highest score of this season, a 27-ball 61, in a chase of 209 against DC, largely because he came in to bat in the fourth over after a top-order collapse. There’s been a reluctance to bat him higher up the order. Maybe there’s a case for LSG to reconsider his batting position.

Stats that matter

• Traditionally, a legspinner against a left-hand batter isn’t deemed to be a strong match-up. But Ravi Bishnoi has had the better of Ishan Kishan, dismissing him four times while conceding just 30 runs off 32 balls. One reason for this could be Bishnoi using the wrong ‘un as his stock-ball.
• Jasprit Bumrah has mostly been used for one over in the powerplay, but if LSG lose an early wicket, could Hardik give him a second? LSG’s No. 3 Stoinis has been dismissed four times by Bumrah while managing just 54 runs off 55 deliveries.
• MI may be below LSG on the points table, but they have the second-best win percentage at home since IPL 2023, having won eight of their 13 home games. LSG, meanwhile, are one of the few sides with an equally decent home and away record in this period.
• MI’s openers have the second-lowest average (26.2) among all teams this season.

Pitch and conditions

Mumbai experienced a severe dust storm and thunderstorm earlier in the week, but conditions are expected to remain largely dry on Friday evening. A red-soil surface with even bounce and a smattering of grass across the 22 yards potentially points to a run fest. Dew could make the toss a vital factor.

Quotes

“It’s easy to just sit and think, ‘oh, well, he hasn’t had a great tournament’. But if you look at his numbers, they’re actually not bad at all, considering the circumstances that he’s had to bat in.”

Nathan Lyon has defended his controversial pre-Ashes comments about Matt Prior and wanting to end England players’ careers

Brydon Coverdale at the Gabba24-Nov-20171:45

‘I thought you guys were smarter than to fall for that’ – Lyon explains trash talk

Australia’s spinner Nathan Lyon has defended his controversial pre-Ashes comments, joking that he had successfully diverted attention and pressure from debutant Cameron Bancroft and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who is playing his first Test for seven years.On Monday, Lyon suggested that he would be happy if Australia ended the careers of some of England’s players during this series, and claimed that former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior had wanted to go home during the 2013-14 Ashes because he was “scared”. Prior called Lyon’s comments “laughable”.”Well, I took a lot of pressure off Tim Paine and Cameron Bancroft, so I thought you guys were a little bit smarter than that,” Lyon said after the second day’s play in Brisbane. “It is what it is. I’m not going to stand back from what I said.”Lyon declined to be drawn on whether his comments about Prior in particular were unkind. “Let’s go, next question,” he said.Whatever the case, the storm around Lyon’s comments did no harm to his bowling form. Despite finishing with only 2 for 78 in England’s first innings, Lyon bowled outstandingly, turning the ball sharply from his first ball on day one. England managed only 2.16 an over off Lyon, whose sky-high confidence was also shown by his sharp direct-hit run-out of James Vince on the first day.”My confidence has grown a large amount over the last 14 months,” he said. “I’ve worked hard in the nets with John Davison and I’ve really nailed down my consistency and knowing my game inside out, and knowing what works really well for me. The comments that I said before the match, it has nothing to do with the way I’m bowling now. It’s a team game. I know my role in the Australian cricket team.”I know I’m a leader, I know I’m one of the most experienced guys in that change room. If I can go out there and share my experience with the younger guys, then hopefully we can put Australian cricket in a good place. I’m very confident with where my bowling is at, at the moment. I feel like I’m bowling very well. The way it’s coming out of my hand, it’s probably coming out the best it’s ever come out. I know my role and I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.”Lyon said he had been surprised by the spin and lack of pace in the Gabba surface from the first day. Although he has had success at the Gabba in the past, rarely has he found such assistance from so early in the match.”I’ve never seen the Gabba spin this much,” he said. “I’ve seen it spin before, but not the amount I was able to generate out there. It’s probably a tad softer to what we’re used to. Today was probably more like a typical day one wicket for the Gabba, so hopefully it will harden up over the next couple of days, there’ll be more pace in the wicket.”The lack of pace in the pitch also had the effect of negating Australia’s plans to pepper England’s batsmen with short bowling, as Mitchell Johnson had done in 2013-14. When Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood did dig the ball in, it rarely reach head height, but Lyon said it was still pleasing to see the way the fast men had operated to prevent England from getting away.”Our bowlers have taken a lot of confidence out of that, especially on a slow wicket, that we were able to stick to our plans and not go away from that as a bowling group. I think the boys are pretty proud, but they’re also pretty excited to hopefully come across some fast decks around the summer to really see how the plan goes.”

Chris Gayle surpassed AB de Villiers to become the leading six-hitter in World Cup history

Bharath Seervi31-May-20191:09

A tale of Pakistan’s (low) World Cup totals

218- Margin of defeat for Pakistan in terms of balls remaining in their Word Cup opener against West Indies. This is their biggest defeat in World Cup history. In fact, in ODI cricket, they have suffered only one bigger defeat, which also came against West Indies, in Cape Town in 1993.ESPNcricinfo LtdWatch on Hotstar (India only): Oshane Thomas’ red-hot spell105- Pakistan’s total, which is their second lowest in World Cups. Their lowest was 74 against England in 1992 World Cup. However, Pakistan shook that off and went on to lift the trophy in 1992, despite getting bowled out for 74 once and losing by 10 wickets in their first match against West Indies.ALSO READ: Thomas and Russell make short work of Pakistan1996- The last time, before Friday, West Indies had bowled out an opposition among the first eight full-member teams for a score of 105 or fewer. They had bundled out Sri Lanka for 102 in Brisbane in the Benson & Hedges World Series in 1996.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7- Wickets lost by Pakistan batsmen to short or short-of-a-good length deliveries. They scored 55 off 68 such balls. Of the 130 balls bowled by the West Indies bowlers, 68 were short or short-of-a-good length, which is 52% of the total balls delivered. Jason Holder (3 wickets), Andre Russell (2), Sheldon Cottrell (1) and Oshane Thomas (1) picked up the seven wickets with such deliveries. Thomas picked three more wickets by hitting other lengths.11- Number of consecutive defeats for Pakistan in completed ODIs. They lost four ODIs to England, five to Australia and one to South Africa before heading into the World Cup. This is their longest losing streak in ODIs. The previous worst was 10 losses in a row between October 1987 and March 1988.40- Sixes for Chris Gayle in the World Cup – the most among all batsmen. He was tied with AB de Villiers on 37 sixes at the start of this game. Gayle had hit 26 sixes in the 2015 World Cup.ESPNcricinfo Ltd6- Number of consecutive fifty-plus scores for Gayle in ODIs with his 50 in this match. It is the joint second-longest streak in the history of ODIs. Only Javed Miandad’s nine 50-plus scores in a row in 1987 is longer. In his last six innings, Gayle has scored 547 runs and has hit 47 sixes.

Abhishek Nayar says the KKR captain has been positive despite all the challenges and disappointments he’s faced in recent months

S Sudarshanan02-May-2024

Shreyas Iyer has been on a rollercoaster side. He scored two hundreds and three half-centuries in India’s run to the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup in November, then suffered a recurrence his back troubles, had his commitment to red-ball cricket questioned, lost his BCCI contract, and was not even talked about among the contenders for selection to India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad.He also came into this IPL season having missed the last one with injury and took back the captaincy of a team that finished seventh in 2022 and 2023. After nine games, he’s led Kolkata Knight Riders to second place in the points table with six wins, ahead of their contest against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede on Friday.KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, who knows Iyer from the domestic circuit in Mumbai, said he had dealt with his setbacks with a positive attitude.”He is one of the strongest people, mentally, I have ever known, just in terms of how he has accepted certain things that have happened with him,” Nayar said on Thursday. “I would have seen a lot of people cribbing and talking about it, but I haven’t heard him whine about it or complain about it at all. The way he has approached life is in a positive manner – what is in front of you, you try and accept it.”Related

Can KKR end their 12-year hoodoo at Wankhede?

Iyer missed IPL 2023 after undergoing a back surgery. He made a comeback in the Asia Cup but suffered back spasms before the match against Pakistan. He made a comeback to play the ODI World Cup, where he scored 530 runs at a strike rate of 113.25 batting at No. 4.After scores of 31, 6, 0 and 4 not out in the Test series in South Africa, Iyer warmed up for the home series against England with a 48-run knock in the Ranji Trophy match against Andhra. But following returns of 35, 13, 27 and 29, he was dropped for the last three Tests against England. He then missed the Ranji Trophy quarter-final, despite BCCI’s directive against skipping it, due to a back spasm but returned for the semi-final. After scoring 95 in the first innings of the final against Tamil Nadu, Iyer complained of back pain and missed the rest of the game. He then linked up with the KKR squad and has played game so far.”Certain things are not in under his control but his fitness is in his control, and he is feeling a lot better now,” Nayar said. “He is great on the field, he is batting longer hours, he has trained really hard. Our S&Cs (strength and conditioning) and physios have worked hard with him.”Mentally, to have a mindset like that after being rejected or not getting his due, he has taken it very positively. Even when he talks about it, he is not negative, he understands he needs to go back and do well.”Iyer has not had a terrific time with the bat in IPL 2024, but he hasn’t been poor either: he has 251 runs -third most for KKR – at a strike rate of 137.15. He has largely batted at Nos. 4 and 5 and has had the luxury of coming in after one of the most explosive opening combinations this season – Phil Salt and Sunil Narine – has done its thing.”His mindset is to score runs, whether he plays the IPL, the Ranji Trophy or for India,” Nayar said. “He looks to score runs, it has affected him but the way he has handled it, kudos to him because I can imagine a lot of people reacting very differently than he has.”The floodlights had taken full effect at the Wankhede when Iyer geared up for a final stint in the nets on Thursday. He focused on power-hitting with Andre Russell slanting the ball full and wide outside off stump from around the wicket. Iyer took a moment to reflect after facing every delivery from Russell as well as the other bowlers, before joining MI captain Hardik Pandya, KKR bowling coach Bharath Arun, and KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit – all standing right behind the nets Iyer was batting in – for a chat.Iyer may not be part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, or the reserves, but his immediate challenge is to try and lead KKR to victory at a venue where success has eluded them for 12 years.

Football’s back for those of a Liverpool persuasion, and it’s a big one at that.

Having sat out last weekend due to an early exit from the FA Cup, Arne Slot’s Liverpool return to action in the Premier League as they host resurgent Everton.

The international break is typically a gruelling thing, stunting progress and halting anticipation as teams fight for their respective goals. Liverpool, however, may have found the sojourn to have been a blessing, falling in the Champions League before losing the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United.

Ah well, there’s always next season – for those honours, anyway. Liverpool are still hunting down the Premier League title, 12 points clear of second-place Arsenal with nine matches to play.

Everton have been reborn under David Moyes’ wing, the Scotsman replacing Sean Dyche in January and crafting a nine-match unbeaten run after losing his league opener to Aston Villa at Goodison Park.

24/25

Goodison Park

2-2 draw

23/24

Goodison Park

2-0 loss

23/24

Anfield

2-0 win

22/23

Anfield

2-0 win

22/23

Goodison Park

0-0 draw

Everton’s patch of Merseyside was left giddy, exalted, after James Tarkowski hit parity in the dying embers last month, but Slot will hope for a different outcome here as his side look to end their dip in form across recent matches.

Liverpool team news

Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks set to join Real Madrid when his contract expires this summer, is still sidelined after injuring his ankle against Paris Saint-Germain.

Compounding the issue, Conor Bradley is not quite ready to return to the starting line-up after his period of convalescence; with Joe Gomez also out, Slot is likely to pick Jarell Quansah to deputise at right-back once again.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alisson Becker, however, are both expected to be fit following respective scares for their nations over the past two weeks.

This is all well and good, but Liverpool’s recent issues derive from a dried-up pool of attacking fluency. Indeed, Liverpool have been a day late and a dollar short of late, and fans online have been murmuring about freshening things up with a tactical tweak to the frontline.

However, Federico Chiesa may not be the answer for this one, not in Slot’s mind.

Slot must unleash Liverpool's "special" forward

Liverpool struggled to get going at Wembley, but it was substitute Chiesa who latched onto Harvey Elliott’s tidy through ball in stoppage time to spark fleeting hopes of a comeback.

But Liverpool failed to stage the desired response; time had been exhausted. Chiesa, however, did show off a glimpse of the quality that prompted the Anfield side to pay Juventus for him back in August, a quality that is illuminated given the ongoing profligacy of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz.

The international break will hopefully have served as a reset button for the wasteful bunch, but it more importantly means a fully-fit Cody Gakpo is ready to return from Netherlands duty brim-full, having only just returned from injury before the break and indeed last starting a Premier League fixture in mid-February.

It’s been a big blow for the Merseysiders, for Gakpo has been in fine fettle this season, scoring 16 goals and providing six assists across all competitions. The 25-year-old is currently level with last term’s haul, but he’s matched it in over 800 fewer minutes across all fronts.

Gakpo has to start against Everton, his clinical shooting giving rise to the success of his frontal peers. Diaz’s makeshift dynamism in a central striking role, for example, is heightened by the Dutchman’s presence, easing the goalscoring burden on Salah.

1.

Mohamed Salah

15

2.

Cody Gakpo

12

3.

Luis Diaz

7

4.

Diogo Jota

4

5.

Darwin Nunez

3

5=

Dominik Szoboszlai

3

5=

Alexis Mac Allister

3

The table above makes for somewhat grim reading, with Liverpool’s lopsided frontline clear through the shooting success clinched on home turf.

However, it does highlight Gakpo’s confidence on home soil, scoring three-quarters of his strikes this year at Anfield. Indeed, the Netherlands star has actually bagged in each of his past eight starts at Liverpool’s home ground.

His quality has been streamlined by Slot’s decision to field him in a more structured role off the left flank, as opposed to Jurgen Klopp’s choice of deploying across myriad points of the pitch.

This, of course, has meant Diaz’s qualities have been required in a more central position, but since Gakpo is now fit and ready to fire once more, would it really be wise to unleash Chiesa from the outset in an important derby fixture?

The stakes are high. With Arsenal narrowing the gap after beating Fulham, Liverpool cannot afford to fumble at this stage. The need for Chiesa’s finishing is effectively neutered by Gakpo’s return as he restores the balance and balance of potency up top.

The £120k-per-week Gakpo, after all, ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this term for goals scored per 90 (0.51), as per FBref. It’s no wonder he’s been praised by Fabrizio Romano for “flying for Liverpool this season.”

Conversely, Chiesa has struggled to buy a game. Though he’s posted two goals and two assists apiece across 11 matches in all competitions – just three starts – Slot has thus far been unwilling to hand him any starting roles in the Premier League, and that’s not going to change in an important league fixture against heated rivals Everton, who are in hot form at that.

While we’d all like to see Liverpool’s nifty Italian earn some more action, it doesn’t feel probable that he will play from the opening bell in this one.

That said, if Gakpo can work toward establishing a healthy lead for Slot’s team, Chiesa could surely enter the fray in the second half – and with a point to prove.

Better than Kerkez: Liverpool will have £40m bid accepted for "insane" star

Liverpool are ready to sign a new left-back this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 1, 2025

Bayern Munich are considering a move to gazump Chelsea in the hunt for Jamie Gittens' signature.

Article continues below

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Bayern chasing GittensDortmund winger had been expected to move to ChelseaBayern chasing new left-wingerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The German club's sporting director Max Eberl left the Club World Cup surprisingly early to reportedly work on transfers, and it could be at Chelsea's expense. The Bundesliga champions have identified Jamie Gittens as a potential new signing and reports that the club are in talks with the player. It would be a blow for the Blues who had seen an initial offer knocked back by Dortmund as they look to bolster their front line.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Should Bayern prove too strong competition for Chelsea in the hunt for Gittens, then the west London club will have to explore other options. Lyon's Malick Fofana and Brighton's Joao Pedro have emerged as possible alternative options in attack, but little progress has been made on a move for either player so far. Chelsea have already added Liam Delap to their forward options, but a wide player to replace the outgoing Jadon Sancho is still wanted.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern are having their own problems with recruitment. Needing to replace the outgoing Leroy Sane, the Bavarian giants had been after Athletic Club's Nico Williams, but the young Spanish winger looks set to move to Barcelona. A move for AC Milan's Rafael Leao is also only at early stages and nothing substantial has materialised as of yet.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GITTENS?

Gittens is currently in the United States with the Dortmund squad taking part in the Club World Cup. He made an appearance off of the bench against Fluminense in the opening group stage game, a 0-0 draw, but was an unused substitute in the 4-3 thriller against Mamelodi Sundowns. Their final game of the group stage is against Korean side Ulsan.