On the periphery, it looks like a cakewalk for in-form Mumbai but they will be quietly worried over Madhya Pradesh`s ability to be the disruptor when they meet in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final on Sunday.
Mumbai`s tag of favourites is printed largely on the back of their awesome batting unit, capable of setting or chasing tall targets with consummate ease.
In a line-up that has skipper Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Prithvi Shaw, a reborn Ajinkya Rahane is leading their charge with the bat.
Rahane is the top run-getter in this edition of the SMAT with 432 runs from eight matches at a strike-rate of 170 with five fifties.
Shreyas, at No.3, has ensured that the frenetic start that Rahane has often given is not wasted with brisk knocks of his own.
The right-hander has so far amassed 329 runs from eight matches while striking at 189. Their efforts have masked the rather underwhelming outings of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav.
While their batting is in a far more secured space, Mumbai`s inconsistent frontline bowlers will have to be on the money against Madhya Pradesh.
Even while restricting Baroda to a below-par 158 for seven in the semifinal, Mohit Avasthi, Shardul Thakur and Dube were profligate.
Spinners Tanush Kotian, Suryansh Shedge and Atharva Ankolekar kept the opposition on a tight leash.
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That Madhya Pradesh under captain Rajat Patidar can exploit that weakness will be a point of worry for Mumbai, looking to add a second title after 2022.
Patidar too was confident about his team`s chances. ¿I think it`s important to know our strengths. We are not thinking that we are playing against a form team like Mumbai.
“We are treating it as any other cricket match, and whoever will play their best will win,” said Patidar after beating Delhi in the semifinal here Friday.
Patidar himself is the third highest run-getter in this tournament with 347 runs with four fifties, while maintaining a strike-rate of 183.
He will have to play the lead role for MP to land their maiden SMAT title, as their best effort remains a final appearance in the 2010-11 season.
The Rs 23.75 crore worth all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer too has given MP stability in the lower middle-order (210 runs, SR: 162) with handy knocks and taking six crucial wickets with his utility medium pace.
The other Madhya Pradesh bowlers like pacers Avesh Khan (10 wickets), Tripuresh Singh (7) and spinner Kumar Kartikeya (16) have been in fine fettle in this event, and they can seriously challenge Mumbai`s batting machine.
(With agency inputs)
