Each and every cricket fan would have his eyes on the television set for this huge match, it could either be Sachin Tendulkar’s last match in the colored jersey or it could be the match where the Mumbai Indians crush the Scorchers and make it to the semi-finals. Cricket fans from all over the world would want MI to win, who wants to see Sachin not play anymore?

Talking about cricket, it is expected to be a 1 sided game with Mumbai being too strong for the Scorchers to pull up a surprise, but you never know what can happen in cricket. The Scorchers have been further weakened due to the injury to Voges, who flew back home. The only backbone in the team has left, and now the Scorchers look even weaker. On the other hand, this is the perfect opportunity for the Mumbai bowlers to rattle their opposition and make sure the team wins by a huge NRR.

Team News
The Indians have a pretty strong lineup, but for some reason they could not get their act together and find themselves in this situation. A big win is all they require and if they can get that, a place in the semi-finals is theirs for the taking. Sachin Tendulkar is not in the best of forms, but no one can doubt his ability. All he needs is some time in the middle to gain back some form and then he can anchor the innings along. Pollard and Rohit have had decent outings with the bat, and they are Mumbai’s main assets. Ojha and Harbhajan also have a huge role to play, hopefully they can deliver.

The Scorchers have struggled to put a team together, especially after the injuries to the Marshes, Thomas and Voges (now). Their main players are injured, and they themselves know they are coming up with a depleted team. Funny things do happen in cricket, and that is all they can hope for. This match would be the last day of their misery, after which they can return back to Australia and review their performance.

Probable Teams
Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Smith, Dinesh Karthik(wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Johnson, Rishi Dhawan, Pragyan Ojha  

X-Factor: Mitchell Johnson is one of the most fierce opening bowlers, and especially with his pace and swing he can be an invaluable asset in the shortest version of the game. This is his best chance to get back in form and pick a few wickets. He has looked rusty throughout this series with the ball, but if he can swing it and pitch it in the right areas it is going to be fun to watch. He must pick wickets early on in the innings, to make sure Mumbai can win with a big margin.

Perth Scorchers: Ashton Agar, Marcus North, Simon Katich (c), Tom Triffitt (wk), Hilton Catwright, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Turner, Joel Paris, Joe Mennie, Jason Behrendorff, Michael Beer

X-Factor: Not much is expected out of the Scorchers but it is a known fact that Simon Katich is a class act. He is the only batsman who has played for Australia over a long period, and he must step in and perform. He was unlucky in 1 of his outings, and got a peach of a delivery in the 2nd game, but he does have the potential to hold the innings together. Katich is the only player who can negate the likes of Johnson, Harbhajan and Ojha and if he does so the Scorchers might have a slim chance.

Expected Result:  Mumbai win convincingly




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