MUMBAI, MAY 01,
Their batting mainstay, Australian David Warner no longer available, Sunrisers Hyderabad face a formidable task when they square off against Mumbai Indians in a crucial IPL match in Mumbai on Thursday.
The match is important for both sides as a victory will bolster their play-off chances while a defeat would bring them one step closer to the exit door.
Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have already sealed their play-off spots, while the other two slots are yet to be decided.
Currently, MI are on third position with 14 points from 12 games, while the SRH are in the fourth spot with 12 points from as many matches.
If MI win on May 2, they qualify for the play-offs while a victory for SRH will take them level on 14 points with the home side and both will have to wait longer to know their fate.
Warner, after scoring a staggering 692 runs from 12 matches, headed home to take part in the national camp ahead of the World Cup, which begins on May 30 in England.
The void left by his departure would be felt and in his absence, captain Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, all-rounder Vijay Shankar and comeback man Wriddhiman Saha will have to shoulder the responsibility.
SRH bowlers have performed well in patches and need to get their act together against MI’s strong batting line-up.
