IPL match preview: Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians

Punjab have not strung together two wins in a row in their last five matches this IPL season. This is their chance to break the sequence after beating the Chennai Super Kings late last month. They've had a few days of rest and should be fresh for this showdown.

This fixture will pit two particularly attacking batting units against each other. There will be a wealth of local and international talent on display at the crease, but the contest could be decided by the bowlers.

Mohali has served up a range of first-innings scores between 150 and 250 this IPL season. Relatively short boundaries and a reasonably quick pitch could be countered by clever bowling with slower variations.

The Punjab Kings, though, have had one of the weakest slow-bowling attacks in the 2023 IPL. This could be Mumbai's chance to capitalise. The five-time IPL champions have a good few batsmen who know how to really succeed against spin bowlers.

Punjab have a surprisingly dominant recent record against Mumbai. The Kings have won four of their last five meetings with the most successful team in the history of the IPL.

There are many excellent leg-spinners being showcased throughout this season's IPL. Mumbai' Piyush Chawla is among the best and is one of the leading wicket-takers in the lengthy history of the tournament for good reason.

Punjab missed captain Shikhar Dhawan for a few games due to injury. He's back now, though, and keen to fire at the top of the order again. Dhawan would dearly love to put in a big showing for his team.

Both teams will go into this match on the back of recent wins. Mumbai look best placed to win this one and somewhat even the ratio of wins versus losses to the Kings.