Mumbai Indians, the five-time champions, will kick off their IPL 2023 campaign in the second game of Sunday’s double-header against Royal Challengers Bangalore at their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. According to Harbhajan Singh, who represented MI in the IPL from 2008-17, this is the most significant match of the tournament thus far, and cricket fans could not have asked for a better Sunday treat.
Nothing like an amazing start to our campaign. Who would you send to open our innings? _#PlayBold #____RCB #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/pfthdjsmiZ
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 2, 2023
“RCB vs MI match is going to be the biggest match of TATA IPL 2023 so far because two superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be up against each other. Add to it, the electrifying atmosphere at Chinnaswamy.”
“It couldn’t get better than this. Fans can’t afford to miss it as 200-plus runs can be scored in the first innings and it could be chased down as well. So it is going to be a mother of all contests in the TATA IPL 2023 so far,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by Star Sports, the television broadcasters of the tournament.
For the first time in 1247 days, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore will host an IPL game during Sunday’s match. Jacques Kallis, a former South African all-rounder who played for RCB from 2008-10, believes that the stadium will be at its electrifying best upon its return to hosting matches in the IPL.
“M. Chinnaswamy is a noisy stadium, it’s a small ground. The opposition feels the pressure here as the crowd is on top of you. It’s tough for the visiting teams here. It’s great to have such passionate home fans. Hopefully, it’s a good wicket and we get to see a good contest. I can’t wait to watch this game.”
“When he played in the IPL for the first time in 2018, he did not have the accuracy, that he showed today. He was playing this format for the first time in 2018 but he is a perfect bowler now and can be a game-changer for Lucknow.”
Harbhajan Singh was highly impressed with England fast bowler Mark Wood’s incredible five-wicket haul for the Lucknow Super Giants against the Delhi Capitals on Saturday evening, with whom he shared the dressing room during IPL 2018.
“It was a great start for them. They haven’t had the best TATA IPLs in the past. It was nice of them to bring a performance like that against a good side. So they will take the confidence from here and hopefully, they will go from strength to strength from this win.”
On the other hand, Kallis praised Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings for their victory over Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday afternoon.
