IPL 2020: MI vs RCB Game Plan 1 – The stark difference in approach in the middle overs

MI vs RCB – The forty-eighth match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the teams, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, could all be about match-ups. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the forty-eighth game of the IPL – MI vs RCB MI vs RCB – […]
 
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IPL 2020: MI vs RCB Game Plan 1 – The stark difference in approach in the middle overs

MI vs RCB – The forty-eighth match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the teams, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, could all be about match-ups. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the forty-eighth game of the IPL – MI vs RCB

MI vs RCB – The middle overs battle

As the battle for the playoffs intensifies, Mumbai Indians take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in a match where the winner will most likely be the first team to book a playoff spot this season. The top 2 teams at the points table right now are tied at 14 points with MI ahead due to superior Net Run Rate.

One of the areas which separate the two teams is the middle overs with the bat; while one team has scored the slowest in overs 7-15 this season, the other has scored the fastest.

 

While Mumbai are the only team to score above 8 runs per over in middle overs, RCB are the only team to score below 7. Moreover, MI have not only scored the fastest, but have also managed to keep wickets intact, unlike RCB.

IPL 2020: MI vs RCB Game Plan 1 – The stark difference in approach in the middle overs

 

The fact that none of RCB’s top 3 has managed to score at a strike rate above 125 will be a concern against the strong MI side with almost all of their mainstream batsmen scoring at a 140-plus strike rate except Krunal and Rohit (Krunal’s 125.00 being the lowest among their top 7).

 

IPL 2020: MI vs RCB Game Plan 1 – The stark difference in approach in the middle overs

 

AB de Villiers has been the fastest scoring RCB batsman in middle overs, and there are 5 MI batsmen ahead of him. Kohli has one of the best batting averages among batsmen from both teams but has one of the lowest scoring rate. Even individually RCB do not have many reliable guys to rely on to pull them out of this mess, not many options they can look up to.

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RCB will need their top 3 to up the ante in the middle overs, especially the openers who have not been able to tee off even after getting set. For MI, they will look to take advantage of this weakness and choke the RCB batsmen in middle overs with Krunal and Chahar.