Jasprit Bumrah will be looking to snap a stubborn wicket drought when Mumbai Indians take on Punjab Kings on Thursday night. The run of no wickets dates back to last season, beginning with MI’s Qualifier 2 match versus Punjab Kings at the start of that stretch. Since then, Bumrah has gone wicketless for more than 20 overs—122 balls in total—in the IPL, which stands as the longest duck spell for him in T20 cricket. With the season already under way, his return to the wickets could arrive sooner rather than later, and Punjab Kings may well be the side that helps end the lull.
Even without wickets, Bumrah has not looked completely off-colour or unnecessarily costly, but MI’s concerns extend well beyond his spell. An opener in form has been sidelined by injury, the middle order has not consistently delivered, and an overseas pacer—typically a wicket-taking option—has conceded at 12.22 runs per over, a figure far above his career norm of 8.46. Meanwhile, MI’s spin department has leaked runs repeatedly, leaving the team with the feeling of chasing momentum without ever landing the knockout punch. With too many vulnerabilities still exposed, MI may struggle once opponents start targeting those weak spots with precision.
The most pressing issue sits in the batting middle tier. Suryakumar Yadav has made 106 runs, Tilak Varma 35, Hardik Pandya 67, Sherfane Rutherford 101, and even Naman Dhir has managed 59—returns that look modest in a campaign where captain Hardik has openly acknowledged that Mumbai are playing catch-up. MI’s position in the race for a top-four finish is slipping, and the burden will fall heavily on the middle order, especially Tilak, who has endured a difficult start and has been out of sorts across the first four matches.
Punjab Kings, in contrast, have been operating with sharpness and consistency. Shreyas Iyer’s side remains the only unbeaten team in the league so far, and one of the original eight franchises to hold an equal or better head-to-head record against five-time champions MI. Their mark stands at 17-17 overall, and in the most recent five meetings they have the edge at 3-2. Iyer’s impact has also been visible through his ability to adjust and his incisive captaincy. A key example came recently when he introduced Shashank Singh’s gentle medium-pace approach to slow down Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting momentum, a decision that proved highly effective.
Nehal Wadhera, who featured for MI for a couple of seasons earlier, highlighted the confidence generated by that unbeaten run. He said: “A good winning record against a team carries momentum forward. We are in a very positive frame of mind and have a clear understanding of their plans. Having done well against them in the past is an added advantage that we want to carry into this game as well.” Wadhera’s praise was directed at both Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting for maintaining that status at the top of the table.
On paper, Punjab Kings could be too strong for MI to stop, but the five-time champions have never been in the business of losing without a fight. They also have a determined Bumrah, keen to turn his long wicketless spell into a breakthrough moment. After all, Bumrah is not widely regarded as one of the best in the world without the ability to change a contest when it matters.
When: Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 PM IST
Where: Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
What to expect: Wankhede typically sets up a high-scoring encounter. The boundary dimensions and the batting-friendly nature of the strip can push totals upward, particularly if Punjab Kings—armed with several in-form batters—bat first. Still, Mumbai Indians are expected to respond with intensity and clarity, fully aware that time is running short in their campaign.
Head to head: MI 17 – 17 RCB. Punjab Kings are the only team with a better record against the five-time champions, owning a 3-2 advantage in their last five meetings. At this venue, however, the tally is level at 5-5.
Team Watch:
Mumbai Indians
Injuries/Unavailabilities: Rohit Sharma continues to manage a hamstring problem, which creates a major question over who will open the batting if he is ruled out. One possibility is to use two South African batters—Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock—at the top, which could also mean leaving out Trent Boult, who has not been at his best. Another route for MI would be to give a younger Indian opener a chance, with Danish Malewar or Robin Minz among the options. Will Jacks is either already in Mumbai or on his way, so the England all-rounder should be available. If selected, he could replace Mitchell Santner.
Tactics & Match-ups: Trent Boult has removed Prabhsimran Singh three times across six innings, and has repeatedly prevented the big-hitting opener from getting comfortable. If Boult gets his swing and seaming conditions early, he could be the key to an initial breakthrough.
Probable XII: Ryan Rickleton, Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar
Punjab Kings
Injuries/Unavailabilities: There is no confirmed information indicating injuries among Punjab players.
Tactics & Match-ups: Yuzvendra Chahal has had the better of Hardik Pandya. In a 75-ball duel between the two in the IPL, Chahal conceded just 71 runs and struck four times, putting the hard-hitting captain under sustained pressure.
Probable XII: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Did you know?
- Punjab Kings have beaten Mumbai Indians five times in ten IPL matches at the Wankhede, the joint highest such tally for any team there, level with CSK and RCB (both five wins in 13).
- Pryiansh Arya is striking at 188.41 in the Powerplay since IPL 2025, the best rate for any batter with at least 150 balls faced in that phase.
- Punjab Kings have conceded 37 runs through wides across four innings.
What they said: “I haven’t been told anything. The team management will take a call and we will get to know tomorrow only. I’m absolutely ready to bat anywhere. Even last year, I batted up the order, sometimes at No. 5 or No. 7.” — Naman Dhir on a likely change in MI’s batting order
“I was talking to Shreyas yesterday and he told me, ‘You play freely, taking pressure is my job.’ It tells you a lot about him as a leader—he enjoys that responsibility. Seeing him finish games and stay not out in our recent wins has been fabulous for the entire group.” — Nehal Wadhera on Shreyas Iyer
