MUMBAI, Apr 8:
Mumbai Indians are all set to open the defense of their title against new outfit Rising Pune Supergiants, led by India’s World Cup winning skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, here tomorrow after decks were cleared to hold the opening IPL game by the Bombay High Court.
The court has declined to grant a stay on the IPL’s opening match tomorrow in Maharashtra, many parts of which are facing severe water crisis.
The IPL has temporarily been shorn of two successful teams, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who have been suspended for two years as per the Lodha Committee recommendations.
The Supergiants, owned by RPSG Group, has thus been granted an opportunity to carve out a niche – guided by the previously successful combine of captain Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming for CSK.
However, with a more settled look and familiar with the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium, described by both MI captain Rohit Sharma and coach Ricky Ponting yesterday as the team’s fortress, Supergiants will need to pull out all stops to stop the home side.
The hosts, who turned around a disastrous start last year after losing the opening four games, have the right personnel on paper to diffuse the challenge from RPS.(PTI)
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