While MI have garnered 14 points from 11 matches, RCB are trailing them by three points, having played the same number of games ahead of the high-octane first leg clash.
Buoyed by their sensational last-ball victory over Chennai Super Kings, a keyed up Mumbai Indians take on strong challengers Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial Indian Premier League game, in Mumbai on Wednesday.
While MI have garnered 14 points from 11 matches, RCB are trailing them by three points, having played the same number of games ahead of the high-octane first leg clash.
If MI stopped the Super Kings in their tracks when new recruit Dwayne Smith smashed Ben Hilfenhaus for a six and two fours off the last three balls, RCB were no less impressive in pulling off a thrilling victory over Deccan Chargers.
AB de Villiers' 17-ball unbeaten 47 swung the game RCB's way and he, along with another in-form batsman Chris Gayle, is a major threat to Mumbai's hopes of pulling off their fourth straight victory.
A victory for MI would boost the points tally to 16 with four games left and would help them draw level with Delhi Daredevils, albeit with one game less in hand.
But more importantly it would ease the pressure enormously from their shoulders in the red-hot race to the last-four.
A setback for last year's runners-up RCB would put them under the same sort of difficulties that are being faced by two-time holders Super Kings after their defeat to MI.
In batting RCB have been well-served by left-handed West Indian powerhouse Gayle (433 runs from 10 games) at the top, and classy right-handed South African de Villiers (292 from 11 games) ??" who can switch-hit powerfully to spoil the spinners' plans - in the middle.
These two batsmen, averaging 48-plus, have shouldered the responsibility of propping up the Bangalore batting admirably in which another key member ??" India star Virat Kohli ??" has, unfortunately, not lived up to the high expectations.
Tilakkaratne Dilshan has settled in the top order well and RCB would be depending a lot on this overseas trio and Kohli in batting against the varied Mumbai attack, spearheaded by speedster Lasith Malinga.
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