Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s LIVE coverage of the IPL 2022 match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings from the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

LIVE COMMENTARY

PBKS 36/0 in 4 overs: Unadkat continues. Unadkat is varying his pace and cramping Mayank for room outside off. Just four runs off the first four ball. Dhawan steps out and slaps this short one outside off over the infield for a single and keeps strike.

PBKS 30/0 in 3 overs: FOUR! Bumrah is into the attack and strays on Dhawan’s pads first ball and tucked away for a boundary behind. Bumrah angles it down leg again and Ishan with a brilliant effort behind to save five wides. Another wide balll down leg side and Ishan is being kept busy behind the wickets. Finally Bumrah darts in his signature yorker and Dhawan digs it out for a single on leg side. Mayank guides one to third man. Good bouncer to Dhawan, who misses the ramp shot. Another yorker, Dhawan steps out to covert it into a low full-toss and whips it to deep square leg for one. FOUR! A bit of width outside off and Mayank crisply drives on the up and just over the fielder at point.

PBKS 17/0 in 2 overs: SIX! Unadkat starts off full outside off and Dhawan steps out and lofts it over cover for maximum. Single next ball on leg side. Three dot balls as the left-arm pacer comes over the wicket to Mayank. Keeps it tighter on the stumps.

PBKS 10/0 in 1 over: The Mumbai Indians players are in a huddle. Mayank and Dhawan have walked in to start the innings for Punjab. Basil Thampi has the new ball. FOUR! Width outside off first ball and Mayank slaps it past point for a boundary first ball. Agarwal shoulders arms as Thampi goes wide outside off again. FOUR! Mayank is a man on a mission. Pitched on a length outside off, shaping away, and Mayank pierces the gap between point and cover again. This is on a tighter line on off stump and Mayank dabs it to third off the backfoot for a single. Dhawan gets a leg-bye off the last ball.

19-20 IST: A tantalizing match-up is coming our way. The big-hitting powerhouse Punjab Kings has the highest run rate in the PowerPlay overs in IPL 2022, going at 10.00 runs an over during this period. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, despite not winning a single match, has the second best economy rate in the PowerPlay (6.62).

However, the death bowling remains a concern for Rohit Sharma, whose team has leaked 13.69 runs an over in that phase. With Punjab Kings going at an impressive 10.57 runs an over in the last four overs, Mumbai would want to plug that chink in its armour.

MI VS PBKS PLAYING XI

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Jaydev Unadkat, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills, Basil Thampi.

Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Odean Smith, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh.

TOSS: Mumbai Indians wins the toss and elected to bowl. Just the one change for Mumbai with Tymal Mills coming in for Ramandeep Singh. Punjab Kings is unchanged.

IPL 2022 AT MCA STADIUM IN PUNE

Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets (April 09, 2022)

Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets (April 06, 2022)

Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs (April 02, 2022)

Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 61 runs (March 29, 2022)

MUMBAI INDIANS VS PUNJAB KINGS (LAST FIVE MEETINGS)

Mumbai Indians won by six wickets (September 28, 2021)

Punjab Kings won by nine wickets (April 23, 2021)

Punjab Kings won in Super Over (October 18. 2020)

Mumbai Indians won by 48 runs (October 1, 2020)

Mumbai Indians won by three wickets (April 10, 2019)

MATCH PREVIEW

Searching for its first win after four straight defeats, Mumbai Indians face an uphill task when it takes on Punjab Kings at the MCA Cricket Stadium in Pune on Wednesday.

MI has not been able to seize the opportunities in the first four games. An area of concern has been the batting unit that has not clicked collectively, especially during the middle phase of the game after the PowerPlay.

Skipper Rohit Sharma has not fired so far and needs a big score to lay the foundation. A possible solution to its middle-order woes will be to have Suryakumar Yadav, who has slammed back-to-back half-centuries, play one position higher at number three.

The team’s bowling has not fired in unison. And pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has lacked support. One of the overseas pacers needs to step up.

Meanwhile, its opponents Punjab Kings have had a mixed start to the tournament with two wins and as many defeats from four games.

The Mayank Agarwal-led side will walk into this game post a heartbreaking defeat to Gujarat Titans after failing to defend 12 off the last two balls. The team has an explosive batting line-up and has shown willingness to take on the bowlers through the innings.

Along with Kagiso Rabada, in-form leg-spinner Rahul Chahar will hold the key as far as bowling goes. He can pick wickets during the middle overs and exploit MI’s vulnerabilities.

THE SQUADS

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Fabian Allen, Anmolpreet Singh, Jofra Archer, Arshad Khan, Murugan Ashwin, Basil Thampi, Dewald Brevis, Rahul Buddhi, Jasprit Bumrah, Tim David, Ishan Kishan (wk), Aryan Juyal (wk), Mayank Markande, Riley Meredith, Tymal Mills, Kieron Pollard, Ramandeep Singh, Daniel Sams, Sanjay Yadav, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tilak Varma, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Odean Smith, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Porel, Sandeep Sharma, Atharva Taide, Vaibhav Arora, Ansh Patel, Raj Angad Bawa, Benny Howell, Rishi Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (wk), Baltej Singh, Writtick Chatterjee, Nathan Ellis, Prerak Mankad.

WHERE AND WHEN TO WATCH MUMBAI INDIANS VS PUNJAB KINGS LIVE?