Prior to the high-stakes match, Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner Kumar Karthikeya outlined his straightforward strategy against Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya. On Friday, May 12, the five-time champions will face the defending champions at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Notably, Hardik has repeatedly demonstrated his aggressive batting abilities in the ongoing IPL 2023. In lieu of focusing on a’ magic ball,’ spinner Kumar Karthikeya stated that his goal in the highly anticipated match against Gujarat would be to maintain the correct length against the explosive hitter.
“I have not pitched to Hardik (Pandya) frequently. Just a few extras. My objective is to maintain the correct length because Hardik is an excellent batter. So, the plan is to simplify the fundamentals. “Instead of bowling a magic ball, I want to keep things simple,” Kumar Karthikeya said at a pre-match press conference.
Hardik has amassed 277 runs in 10 appearances, including two fifties, while batting in the middle order. Hardik will be eager to make a decisive strike against his former team upon his return to the legendary Wankhede Stadium.
Mumbai has not yet confirmed a quarterfinal spot.
With 12 points from 11 matches, Rohit Sharma and Co. are fourth in the IPL Points Table. However, the five-time champions have yet to secure a spot in the semifinals as they face stiff competition from RR and LSG.
As the season nears its conclusion, Mumbai will attempt to win the remaining games in order to secure a spot in the top four of the competition. On the other hand, the defending champions sit securely atop the standings with 16 points after just 11 matches and are in excellent position to qualify for Qualifier 1.
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