It is the battle of all battles as the race to become the first ever #CricketChaRaja reaches its final stage at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. Triumph Knights Mumbai North East and Shivaji Park Lions both put in convincing performances in the lead up to the final and it could well be anyone’s game on the day. Here is a look at the Final Raada of the inaugural T20 Mumbai.

Aakhri Raada: Triumph Knights Mumbai North East vs Shivaji Park Lions

Head-to-Head: Triumph Knights Mumbai North East 0-1 Shivaji Park Lions

Triumph Knights Mumbai North East have looked one of the most formidable sides of T20 Mumbai throughout the league and will come into the final match high on confidence. However, they will be facing the only team who managed to beat them in the league, which might play on their minds.

The batting unit of the Knights looks the most promising in the entire league with almost every player getting a look-in at some point or the other and performing well. They bat deep and have earned their title of ‘Chase Masters’. Even their spinners have been bowling a tight line and length and exploiting whatever the pitch has to offer. Their pacers haven’t shone in comparison though and it might well come down to how well they can rein it in, in case any cracks start showing in the spin department.

After an unremarkable run in the league stage, Shivaji Park Lions have peaked during the business end of the league, which bodes well for them in the final. They will want to take the confidence of their playoffs victories into the final and put in a similarly spirited performance there.

The Lions had all kinds of trouble in their middle-order earlier in the league with none of the batsmen having the ability to get a move on after good starts. They have undoubtedly worked hard on that aspect of their game though and now have a number of big hitters who can start whacking the ball from the word go. After Shivam Dubey and Bravish Shetty, in the last game Alpesh Ramjani showed what a force to reckon with he can be and now the team has a number of options in the batting department. They are yet to find a quality fifth bowler though and if Dubey goes for runs they may not have enough back up, especially since their front-line bowlers haven’t shown enough skill in the death overs.

Key battles

Akash Parkar vs Shivam Dubey

In a league which can boast of a number of quality all-rounders, Shivam Dubey has stood up to be counted among the best. His medium pacers later in the innings might coincide with the time the big hitting Parkar comes in to bat and it will be an interesting contest to watch.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Bravish Shetty

The two captains have been in fine nick coming into the final and it will be a face-off between their batting skills and leadership abilities when the big stage arrives.

Kalpesh Sawant vs Alpesh Ramjani

Triumph Knights’ most effective spinner against Shivaji Park’s most effective player of spin. Kalpesh vs Alpesh promises to be a ripper, particularly in the closing overs where both sides will be looking to push the advantage.

Kya Bolta Hai

‘Win the toss and bowl first’, will be the obvious instruction from both camps since both Knights and Lions have done well while chasing. However, the Knights have shown the ability to defend a below par total and they will fight till the end no matter what. Lions, too, have won a number of nail-biters on their way to the final. Expect this to come down to the wire.