Chandigarh Lions v Mumbai Champs, ICL, Hyderabad

Confident Chandigarh face improved Mumbai

Cricinfo staff

October 12, 2008

Match facts

	New addition Taufeeq Umar will bolster Mumbai's batting © ICL

Big Picture

Chandigarh are on a high after winning the warm-up domestic Twenty20 competition last month. The excellent batting form of Dinesh Mongia and TP Singh in the domestic event also gives Chandigarh a boost as the side's troubles in March stemmed from a limp batting outfit which managed just one half-century in seven games.

Mumbai, on the other hand, fared poorly in the domestic tournament and will also be missing the services of Brian Lara. They were let down last season by their misfiring contingent of overseas fast bowlers - Tino Best, Michael Kasprowicz, and to a lesser extent, Johann van der Wath. Their other problem was that there was little support for the in-form batsmen, Nathan Astle and Raviraj Patil, which meant they were able to post totals in excess of 150 on only two occasions. That drawback should be redressed by the inclusion of former Pakistan batsmen Hasan Raza and Taufeeq Umar, who will be playing for his third ICL team when he turns out for Mumbai.

Watch out for

Andrew Hall: Hall has been one of the consistent performers for Chandigarh in the previous two editions and his ability to bowl the yorker and stifle the runs is a valued commodity in Twenty20 cricket.

Raviraj Patil: Twenty-year-old Patil was Mumbai's standout batsman in the Twenty20 tournament in March, blitzing 213 runs at a strike-rate of 142.

Quotes

© Cricinfo