Indian Premier League on Sky Sports Cricket - today's action
Sunday 29 April 2018 09:17, UK
Here's what's in store in the Indian Premier League today...
Today's game
We have a collector's item for you - a solitary Saturday fixture as high-flying Chennai Super Kings welcome sinking Mumbai Indians, for whom victory has proved a rare find indeed.
How are the teams doing?
Let's start with Mumbai, whose terrible defence of their title came utterly off the rails as they were bundled out for just 87 by Sunrisers' - admittedly high-quality - attack. That was the most recent of five defeats - the solitary success so far coming against Royal Challengers' Bangalore, when Rohit Sharma hit 94 off 52 balls.
Their present plight could scarcely be imagined when these two teams met in the tournament opener and although Chennai emerged on top, they did so only by one wicket with one ball remaining. Since then the Super Kings have powered towards the upper echelons of the table with a string of victories, including a precious win against title challengers Sunrisers.
Ominously for Mumbai, Super Kings chased down a 206-run target last time out against RCB with MS Dhoni making marmalade of the attack…
Ones to watch
Deepak Chahar at one stage had incredible figures of 3-1 as Chennai threatened to utterly maul the Hyderabad outfit - his final analysis of 3-15 not too shabby. Another precious talent as yet uncapped by India, the seamer has won the faith of MS Dhoni and is now a key figure in the powerplay overs.
Live Indian Premier League
Punjab-born Mayank Markande is some five years younger than Chahar at 20, but is making his mark in encouraging fashion - picking up seven wickets in successive games against Super Kings and Sunrisers, before another double in the return fixture against the latter. The leggie has just six List A appearances to his name but watch this space.
Which England players could feature?
Sam Billings has been a near ever-present for Chennai so far, playing five of the six matches despite notching a less than impressive 77 runs in his four innings - a tally that includes a memorable 56 against Kolkata. More of that hitting wouldn't go astray. At the other end of the spectrum Mark Wood has featured just once - in the opening match of the tournament - something that is likely to test even his boundless enthusiasm.
Who is in the studio?
Mark Butcher and James Taylor join fellow former England batsman Nick Knight in the studio to digest what - but you never know with Twenty20 - appears something of a mismatch on current form.
Sky Sports will continue to show every IPL game live, so fans from all over can enjoy the best of Indian cricket.
