Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in their final Indian Premier League group-stage match on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The hosts sidelined pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the encounter, bringing in Deepak Chahar as a replacement.
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“We will bowl first. It looks like a good track and it tends to get better in the evening.
It's a very special day.
We just want to play our best and make them enjoy their time,” Pandya said at the toss.
He added that the pitch looks hard and should improve once the sun goes down, emphasizing the team's desire to finish the season on a high note despite a tough campaign.
For Rajasthan Royals, the match is a must-win fixture to secure their postseason berth without relying on other results.
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Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag admitted his side would have bowled first as well, but stressed the importance of victory to control their playoff qualification destiny.
“We know this could be the last game of the tournament and we want to give it our best shot.
Hopefully, we'll maximise our chances and give our best shot. If we win, we qualify and won't need any help from the others,” Parag said.
He confirmed three changes to the lineup: Nandre Burger, Dhruv Jurel, and himself coming into the side.
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Mumbai Indians, already eliminated from playoff contention, aim to end their campaign positively and spoil Rajasthan's hopes.
