Deccan Chargers, last year’s winners of the wooden spoon, are the form team this season and lead the league after two matches. Their opponents at Kingsmead, however, are likely to present a tougher challenge than did Kolkata Knight Riders and Bangalore Royal Challengers.
Despite a star-studded batting line-up Deccan were last season’s whipping boys and the reasons for a disappointing performance were their batsmen failing to fire collectively and a weak bowling attack. Their two victories in the tournament so far have been set up by at least two top-order batsmen performing in the same innings. The purchase of Fidel Edwards and RP Singh’s ability to swing the new ball has boosted their bowling attack as well.
Mumbai beat the formidable Chennai Super Kings in the opening game of the IPL but their second match, against Rajasthan Royals, was washed out in Durban, leaving them with three points after two games. They possess one of the most complete bowling attacks in the tournament – Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga backed up by Harbhajan Singh and Dwayne Bravo. Their batting line-up – Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, JP Duminy, Dwayne Bravo and Abhishek Nayar – will present Edwards and Co with their sternest Test yet.
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