Mumbai Indians have no hope of making the play-offs, but the Kolkata Knight Riders’ chances of qualifying for the business end of IPL 2022 are still alive, even though most of it is only mathematical. But it is Mumbai who look to be in a better space ahead of the two teams’ clash in Navi Mumbai on Monday.

The Knights have eight points with three more matches to go. Even if they win all three, they will get to a maximum of 14 points. But the third and fourth placed teams on the table currently — Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore — already have 14 points and they too have matches left. So while a win will keep Shreyas Iyer’s team hanging by a thread, a defeat will knock them out.

What’s worse for the Knights is the fact that they will not only be fighting their current poor form, but will also have to hope that ghosts from the past don’t haunt them. That is because Mumbai have won 22 of their 30 matches against the Knights over the years.

The Knights may draw inspiration from their last meeting, just over a month back, when Pat Cummins’ heroics with the bat — he scored the joint-fastest IPL fifty in that game — won them the match. But then, a lot has changed since that clash. Cummins, for example, hasn’t found a place in the Knights’ XI in the last few games.

Talking of the playing XI, it will be interesting to find out what their choices are for Monday’s game. They have been notoriously chopping and changing their team and there are high chances of at least a couple of changes on Monday too.

One of the changes could see opener Aaron Finch lose his place. The Australian has been terrible with the bat and Sam Billings might return to the XI. Finch’s opening partner, wicketkeeper Baba Indrajith, has been equally disappointing and it will be tough for him to hold on to his place.

Opening has turned out to be the Knights’ nightmare this season and that has hurt their Powerplay batting as well. Head coach Brendon McCullum too said so after the team’s loss in their last game, against Lucknow Super Giants.

“We struggled in the Powerplay, which has been a frustration for us throughout the season,” McCullum said.

Mumbai, after suffering eight losses on the trot, redeemed some pride with victories in their last two games. Captain Rohit Sharma batted fluently in the last game and the likes of Tim David and Daniel Sams have stood up to the challenge.

Mumbai have nothing to lose, but the Knights will be fighting for survival. But do they have the fight in them?