Mumbai Indians

IPL team owned by business tycoon Mukesh Ambani.

CLT20: Mumbai v Sydney Sixers, 22 October

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Sixers eye top spot against winless Mumbai

Sydney Sixers are the only side who have anything meaningful to gain from this match, as they will aim to remain atop Group A in order to face the weaker qualifier from the other group in the semi-final. They will also be after that extra boost of momentum, and will want their reputation as the form team of the tournament undiminished as they approach the knockouts.

The Sixers' bowling against Mumbai Indians' batting shapes up as a crucial factor to the outcome of the match. In three innings, only one Mumbai batsman has crossed 40, and they are now up against the best pace attack of the tournament - though a slightly weakened one as Shane Watson has returned to Australia. If they are to save face and return with at least one win to their name, their batting will likely have to produce their best performance of the tournament.

Watson's absence is a big loss to any team, but so comprehensive have the Sixers' victories been that they will be confident of completing a group-stage clean sweep nonetheless. Brad Haddin and Michael Lumb have played telling innings at the top of the order, and others lower down like Steven Smith and Moises Henriques have also made significant contributions.

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Group B: Mumbai v Syd Sixers, 22 Oct

  • Sydney Sixers (26% Votes)
  • Mumbai Indians (74% Votes)

CLT20: Chennai v Mumbai, 20 October

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CSK, MI's fate in Yorkshire's hands

Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are not yet out of the tournament, but by the end of Saturday's round of Group B matches, at least one team will join Kolkata Knight Riders on the list of knocked-out teams. The match between the two IPL giants is preceded by a game between Lions, who are playing at their home ground, and Yorkshire. If Lions win, they will join Sydney Sixers as the second team from the group in the semis. However, if Yorkshire sneak out their first win, the winner of the match between Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will get a two-day lifeline, while the loser will be knocked out.

Both teams are evenly matched, having put 150-plus totals every time they have batted and having given away 150-plus runs every time they have bowled. The batting and bowling for both teams have been patchy and the thrust has mainly come from their overseas players. Big Indian names - such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh - are yet to produce a performance of note. Playing against each other, which they have done quite often, gives both teams an even (perhaps their best) chance to get the valuable four points to avoid the bottom finish.

However, irrespective of the permutations within the table, on Saturday, weather permitting, an IPL team will win. It has been that kind of a tournament for Twenty20 cricket's high flyers. A short format means that the teams' fates are decided even before they have got a chance to adjust to the markedly different conditions from what they are used to. That also means their best cricket could be round the corner now that they have spent more than a week in South Africa.

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Group B: Chennai v Mumbai, 20 Oct.

  • Mumbai Indians (44% Votes)
  • Chennai Super Kings (56% Votes)

CLT20: Mum Indians v Yorkshire, 18 October

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Yorkshire vie for piece of Indian pudding

Teams from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand have already humbled their illustrious IPL rivals, and that could be the inspiration Yorkshire - the only English team in the competition - need to score another upset when they take on the blue and flashy-gold festooned Mumbai Indians. At stake are first points for both teams and a chance to stay close to the two table toppers - Sydney Sixers and Lions.

Yorkshire, the runners up from England's T20 competition, came into the main group stage the hard way, unlike the No. 4 IPL side, scoring solid wins over Uva Next and Trinidad & Tobago, before being blown away by the Sydney Sixers pace attack in their first group match. Mumbai Indians do not pose a threat with their bowling in these conditions, except perhaps through Lasith Malinga, who the batsmen will need to be careful against. Yorkshire don't posses any internationally known batsmen, but as Gary Ballance showed against T&T, they do have the skill to surprise any team. They have lost their big name - the South African David Miller - to first-class commitments, so a lot will also depend on Joe Root, who hasn't fired in the tournament yet, to give Ballance support.

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Group B: Mumbai v Yorkshire, 18 Oct

  • Yorkshire (28% Votes)
  • Mumbai Indians (72% Votes)

CL – 2012: Team Review Mumbai Indians

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Repeat on Mumbai's minds

Please note: This is just the summary of the original article published on espncricinfo.com.

The defending champions find themselves in a state far different from the one they left the tournament in last year.

For a franchise considered to be the richest among the IPL teams, with plenty of star value, they finished a disappointing fourth in the 2012 IPL.

Equipped with plenty of firepower in the batting, and the services of Lasith Malinga with the ball, Mumbai offer lots of entertainment value.

And unlike last year, when an injured Sachin Tendulkar watched his team's games from the sidelines, with adequate television time reserved exclusively for his reactions to compensate for his absence from the XI, his fans will be able to see him take the field this time.

How they qualified

Thanks to a change in qualification rules. The change was made in July this year, allowing the fourth IPL team - in this case, Mumbai Indians - a direct entry in the main competition. Kolkata Knight Riders, who had finished fourth in the fourth edition of the IPL, had to compete in a qualification round in the Champions League last year.

Key Player

Apart from the obvious Tendulkar and Malinga, Kieron Pollard has been a key player for Mumbai. Munaf Patel was expensive in the IPL but picked up 15 wickets at 24.46 in 12 games. He isn't the swiftest mover in the field but can bowl tight and vary his pace well.

Surprise package

Mitchell Johnson missed the whole of the 2012 IPL due to a toe injury he picked up in South Africa last year. He made his return to international cricket in July this year and last played in August-September against Pakistan in the UAE. Though he was outshone by the other Mitchell, Starc, he was economical and picked up four wickets in three games.

Weakness

Mumbai had issues with their opening combination during the IPL this year - they tried as many as eight. It'll be interesting to see who opens with Tendulkar. They have the choice of playing Richard Levi, but he's struggling, or Dwayne Smith, who gives an additional bowling option. The tinkering was not confined to the top, and the lack of a settled line-up was one of Mumbai's big problems in the recent IPL.

CLT20: Lions v Mum Indians, 14 October

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Will David stun Goliath again?

If you are a powerful IPL franchise, the Champions League T20 is a cushy place to be. You can have the tournament rules changed midway to increase the number of overseas players in your XI from four to five.

You finish fourth in the qualification tournament for the CLT20 2012, which used to offer direct entry only to the first three IPL sides. The format changes to accommodate a fourth direct entrant from the IPL. Why go through the uncertainties of qualification? So, here are Mumbai Indians, defending champions, straight into the main draw, and will meet home franchise Lions in a repeat of the opening clash of the 2010 edition, also held in South Africa.

That game had been viewed by some as a David v Goliath clash of superstar-laden Mumbai Indians with domestic strugglers Lions. And David ended up winning the supposed mismatch, as Lions rustled up 186 and stopped Mumbai Indians nine runs short, despite Sachin Tendulkar's 69. Back then, Lions had laboured without a trophy for so long that their home crowd at the Wanderers cheered for Tendulkar and his side for most of the match. What will their reaction be tomorrow?

Lions retain a few core players from the team that played in the 2010 edition, and have been bolstered by the addition of international quicks Dirk Nannes and Sohail Tanvir. Mumbai Indians, as always, have an array of star players, and easily look the stronger side on paper.

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Group B: Lions v Mum Indians, 14 October

  • Mumbai Indians (75% Votes)
  • Lions (25% Votes)