IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders looks to solidify Playoffs spot as it takes on struggling Mumbai Indians

For a long time, facing Kolkata Knight Riders used to be like a walk in the park for Mumbai Indians, and its batting mainstay Rohit Sharma. But even the bogey team has turned the reputation around in the last few years.

Add to it the form this season and it puts the home under severe pressure come Friday night at the Wankhede Stadium. Another loss will put ninth placed Mumbai Indians’ mathematical hopes of making the Indian Premier League Playoffs up in the air.

The Knight Riders, on the other hand, will look to solidify its position as a clear second-placed team with its seventh win of the season.

The only solace that Hardik Pandya and Co. will have is the Knight Riders’ poor record while bowling at its den. The conditions at the Wankhede and Eden Gardens are quite similar, with flat decks, short boundaries and dew making life miserable for bowlers with every passing over.

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With the Knight Riders’ bowling unit having faltered at home, the Mumbai Indians batters will be hoping to make merry, for a change. The onus will be on veteran Rohit Sharma to set the tone against Mitchell Starc.

Despite Starc succumbing to the price-tag pressure, Rohit’s woes against left-arm pace have come to the fore repeatedly this season. Rohit and Ishan Kishan will have to come out all guns blazing to match the onslaught of their Knight Riders counterparts – Sunil Narine and Phil Salt – who have been taking virtually every opposition attack to pieces.