Daijiworld Media Network

Pune, May 3: Match 45 and the IPL carnival rolls on. The two Maharashtra teams are up against each other in an important clash for the Ganguly led outfit. Things have been far from rosy for Mumbai as well with Kieron Pollard still unfit. A win today will set them up for the remainder of the tournament.

Mumbai Indians have won the toss and elected to bat

Harbhajan Singh: We would like to continue with the momentum and hopefully we will win today. We are looking at different combinations at the top and hope to settle on one. The pitch looks very dry, I do not know what to expect out of this pitch. We would like to bat first. We do not know what to expect from the surface. We have three spinners in the team and we will look to do well. Thissara Perera and Pragyan Ojha are back for Levi and R P Singh.

Ganguly: It is an important game . All games are important but towards the end of the league stage, each and every game is important. We need to get back to winning ways. I would have loved to bat first as well. We have a couple of changes in our side. Ryder and Ashok Dinda are back in the team.

Dwayne Smith: I am feeling good. I have played for Mumbai previously. I know most of the players in the side. I am very happy to be here and I am looking to do my best for Mumbai Indians. The crowds in India are always adoring.

Pune Warriors (Playing XI): Jesse Ryder, Michael Clarke, Sourav Ganguly(c), Steven Smith, Robin Uthappa(w), Mithun Manhas, Wayne Parnell, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Murali Kartik, Ashish Nehra, Ashok Dinda

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): James Franklin, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik(w), Ambati Rayudu, Thissara Perera, Robin Peterson, Harbhajan Singh(c), Lasith Malinga, Pragyan Ojha, Munaf Patel