Mumbai Indians have so far looked like anything but IPL's five-time champions, losing both their opening games - against Delhi Capitals by four wickets, followed by a 23-run defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals.
'We are not the best side in domestic cricket, we are not the best side in terms of skill sets or in terms of match-winners, but I think we are the best when it comes to being a unit, when it comes to playing like a family.'
Both KXIP and the Royals would look to build a winning momentum after starting the tournament as underdogs.
Images from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, in Mumbai, on Saturday.
Bengal's Anustup Majumdar stood between Saurashtra and Ranji Trophy with a defiant unbeaten 58 as the summit clash entered a tantalising fifth and final day in Rajkot on Thursday with the visitors needing 72 runs more to clinch the domestic title. Bengal ended the fourth day at 354 for six as Majumdar added 91 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket stand with Arnab Nandi (28 not out), who showed a lot of courage despite getting hit on the finger by Jaydev Unadkat.
The best-case scenario for RR would be Kings XI Punjab losing their last match and Sunrisers Hyderabad winning no more than one in their last two outings.
It has been a dramatic turnaround for the KL Rahul-led side after a string a losses earlier in the tournament.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have failed to live up to expectations in the IPL so far and are placed sixth and seventh respectively on the points table in the eight-team competition.
The dew factor will go out of the window but the searing heat will be an issue when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on a better prepared Rajasthan Royals in the first of the 10 IPL double-headers, in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
Rajasthan Royals, who have won their last two games, will look for another victory against RCB and keep their hopes alive of making it to the IPL play-offs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will aim to stop a rampaging Rising Pune Supergiant when both teams meet in the Indian Premier League, on Saturday, in a bid to cement their place in the play-offs.
It will interesting to see how the pitch behaves on Sunday.
While DC made a superb start under new captain Rishabh Pant, RR suffered a four-run defeat against Punjab Kings
In a potential knock-out clash, Pune defeated Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets on Sunday to finish second in the points table behind Mumbai Indians, which means they will get two shots for a place in the summit clash.
Karnataka rode on Rahul's 81 runs and an unbeaten 142 by Pandey.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan struck his second successive fifty to guide India to a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Twenty20 Tri-Series match in Colombo on Thursday.
From Under-19 talents such as Prithvi Shaw and Shivam Mavi to last domestic season's top run-getter Mayank Agarwal, the list includes all those whom the selection committee found worthy of national or A team call-up in the near future
Images from Monday's IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals, in Jaipur.
IMAGES from the IPL 2022 game between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings, in Pune, on Wednesday.
SunRisers Hyderabad has the biggest purse while Kolkata Knight Riders has the slimmest purse.
Saurashtra were best chasers during the knockout stage but their reliable batsmen came a cropper in the most-important clash.
The four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy that promises a lot of twists and turns, engrossing sub-plots and probably career-defining performances.
IMAGES from the 1st T20I played between India and South Africa at the Wanderers on Sunday
India promoted Dhoni up the order in the first T20 on Wednesday and the former skipper responded the team management's decision by making an unbeaten 39 off just 22 balls.
Dinesh Karthik said the Indian team's uncapped players are not 'perturbed' anymore and their experience of playing in the Indian Premier League will hold them in good stead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting in Cuttack on Wednesday.
Shikhar Dhawan capitalised on three reprieves to slam his third ODI century as India crushed Zimbabwe by 58 runs in the second One-dayer in Harare on Friday.
A big win on Saturday will not only will boost Delhi's morale after the 80-run hammering at the hands of CSK but it could also propel the side to the second position in the eight-team standings.
KKR seek to revive their fortunes against a team they had beaten convincingly in the first leg.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Saturday.
Both teams have been more than disappointing thus far in the IPL and need a win to revive their respective campaigns.
While Kings XI's biggest star Chris Gayle scored a 47-ball 79 in the Jaipur match, his Jamaican compatriot Andre Russell also looked in blistering touch for KKR in the match against Sunriserrs Hyderabad. Their rivalry will be one of the sub plots of Wednesday's clash in Kolkata.
With a debate raging over the run out, it remains to be seen how Ashwin and Co. start afresh in what will be their first away match of the season.
'We are all going through an entire gamut of emotions. I only saw these players on TV and now I will play alongside them. It's indeed a great feeling.'
The Virat Kohli-led RCB has won five of its eight games on the back of all-round performances but seemingly blundered in the eight-wicket defeat to laggards KXIP on Thursday.
Bolstered by the arrival of Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals will hope for a better showing from its misfiring top order as they try to settle scores against second-placed Delhi Capitals in their return leg IPL match, in Dubai, on Wednesday.
Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming praises Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler after his match-winning knock in Friday's Indian Premier League match in Jaipur. Butler's superb 60-ball 95 not out
Rajasthan Royals, struggling at the penultimate spot on the points table after two wins and four straight defeats, need something special against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sunday's IPL match in Dubai.
Rajasthan will take inspiration from their two big wins in Sharjah, to turn things around against a dominant Delhi.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, in Dubai.
With only 17 ODIs left for India before the World Cup, senior pros like Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin will aim to remain relevant in the 50-overs format in the forthcoming Deodhar Trophy.
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