Since their loss to Mumbai Indians in their 6th match of current edition that broke their IPL record of 8 consecutive win sequence, Kings Punjab XI has played five more matches and won two matches each losing the third match in-between to KKR at “Home Ground” Cuttack. They will be playing their first match at the Real Home Ground Mohali, where they will conclude their group stage journey with two more matches, one each against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils. Kings XI has already qualified, while MI now cannot afford to lose any match to stay in race of “might get lucky”.
Overall in IPL
MI has 60 wins and 46 losses. They are the defending champions, CLT20 winner too, 2 time IPL finalist, four-time semifinalist.
Kings XI has 53 wins and 47 losses so far, but has reached the semifinal only once that too in the opening edition.
Journey of 2014
Kings XI
- 1. Def CSK by 6 wickets.
2. Def RR by 7 wickets.
3. Def SRH by 72 runs.
4. Def KKR by 23 runs.
5. Def RCB by 5 wickets.
6. Lost to MI by 5 wickets.
7. Def CSK by 44 runs.
8. Def RCB by 32 runs.
9. Lost to KKR by 9 wickets.
10. Def SRH by 6 wickets.
11. Def DD by 4 wickets.
MI
- 1. Lost to KKR by 41 runs.
2. Lost to RCB by 7 wickets.
3. Lost to CSK by 7 wickets.
4. Lost to DD by 6 wickets.
5. Lost to SRH by 15 runs.
6. Def KXIP by 5 wickets.
7. Def RCB by 19 runs.
8. Lost to CSK by 4 wickets.
9. Def SRH by 7 wickets.
10. Lost to KKR by 6 wickets.
11. Def RR by 25 runs.
History
Kings XI still enjoy edge over Mumbai Indians in 7 macthes winning 4 and losing 3. In fact even in two very close matches, Kings XI have emerged winner. Besides winning both the matches in 2008, when they reached semifinal, Kings XI even won a match in 2009 as well as in 2010, when MI reached final and Kings XI had their worst IPL edition. In 2011 with one of the best IPL bowling performances, Bhatt routed Mumbai Indians who scored one of the lowest score of IPL.
Head-to-Head: KXIP 7, MI 6
2008
- KXIP def MI by 66 Runs
KXIP def MI by 1 Run
2009
- KXIP def MI by 3 Runs
MI def KXIP by 8 Wickets
2010
- MI def KXIP by 4 Wickets
KXIP def MI by 6 W
2011
- Mumbai Indians def Kings XI Punjab by 23 runs, MOM: Pollard
Kings XI Punjab def Mumbai Indians by 76 runs, MOM: Bhatt (KXIP)
2012
- Kings XI won by 6 wkts, MOM: Marsh
MI won by 4 wkts, MOM: Rayudu
2013
- MI won by 4 wkts, MOM: Rohit Sharma
Kings XI Punjab won by 50 runs, MOM: Azhar Mahmood
2014
- MI won by 5 wickets, MOM: Corey Anderson
Comparison
Overall MI has just 4 wins to display and as a result there is not much personal performances to talk about. Their two in-form players, Malinga and Zaheer are out of the tournament already. Pollard has shown glimpses of form, while Rohit Sharma has started to join the party, probably a bit too late. Rayudu has scored runs, but has been too slow to be effective. With Simmons there has been some good start, and Michael Hussey, after being dropped, has been included and played a match winning knock in their last match. Harbhajan is the most economical bowler of the tournament, while Pragyan Ojha is not bad so far. Overall they have one of the best individuals of IPL, but team management and captain Rohit Sharma has failed them.
Kings XI has probably one of the least popular combination of players and management after Rajasthan Royals. Still the only Indian Coach Sanjay Bangar, and the Aussie Captain George Bailey has joined hands to create champions out of the local heroes Patel, Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan, and now Manan Vohra, besides letting the discards Saha and Sehwag play with freedom, and in between allowed Maxwell to play freely, something that MI failed to do last year to him. David Miller is their all-time hero. Overall every individual is a performer in the team. How does one get better of them!!
Verdict
Playing first game at Mohali, Kings XI would be certainly looking forward to a big win and revenge. But their worry certainly would be dip in form of sensational Maxwell and Miller over some game. Still Sehwag, Saha, Manan Vohra and Bailey in batting and Sandeep Sharma, Patel in bowling give them hope to win easily again.
Still with in-form Hussey, opposition can never win easy. Probably how Sandeep Sharma and Patel bowl to Hussey and Rohit Sharma will decide the match. So far, its big edge to Kings XI and MI looks to be playing their last match with some hope of qualification.
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