Mumbai seek third win on the trot.......

Buoyant after a morale-lifting win over hotshots Bangalore, Mumbai will be hoping to register their third win on the trot when they take on Punjab at the Wankhede stadium. Meanwhile, the inconsistent Punjab side will be hoping to get their campaign back on track after suffering their fourth loss of the tournament when they were outclassed by Kolkata in their previous game. 

Mumbai: 

With 10 points in their kitty at the halfway stage, Mumbai are placed fourth following their third consecutive victory at home, which they have turned into an impregnable fortress. Under Rohit Sharma, who has taken over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting, Mumbai have been pretty impressive and will look continue in the same vein. 

In-form player: Things seem to be falling into place for Mumbai with talented West Indian Dwayne Smith making his presence felt at the top of the order. Smith has scored two fifties in the four games he has played so far and also delivered with the ball by taking two wickets in the game against Bangalore. 

Hit: After his surprise exclusion from the previous matches, Dhawal Kulkarni finally got an opportunity against Bangalore and he made it count with a three wicket burst that paved way for Mumbai's big win. While Mitchell Johnson and Lasith Malinga have been doing a fine job with the ball, Smith and Harbhajan Singh also came to the party in the previous match, which makes the Mumbai's bowling line-up appear all the more formidable. 

Miss: While Sachin Tendulkar got off to a start against Bangalore, he once again could not convert it to a bigger contribution, which is something Mumbai will be slightly concerned about. 

Punjab: 

After ending up on the losing side at the Eden Gardens, Punjab, who have won four and lost four, will be eager to make a comeback and get their points tally to double figures. 

In-form player: The inclusion of Mandeep Singh has been a big boost for the Punjab side as the right-handed opener has been giving good starts. With an ability to clear the ropes with nonchalance, Mandeep has scored 219 runs in eight matches, and has been the highest run-getter for this season for Punjab, who will be hoping that the 21-year-old continues piling on the runs. 

Hit: David Miller has done a good job for Punjab with the bat, and along with Mandeep Singh, has been responsible for Punjab registering back to back wins before they lost to Kolkata. He remains a crucial player in the middle order. 

Miss:The visitors have an under-performing retired Australian great at the helm just like Mumbai, but unlike the hosts, who have preferred to leave out Ponting, they have not yet taken the big decision. The wicket-keeper batsman is yet to provide the flying start which he was known for in his heydays and a tally of 94 runs in eight games has hurt his side's chances. 

CB pick: While Mumbai start as favourites, Punjab are known to spring a few surprises and will be eager to bring down a big side such as the Ambani owned team.