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Mumbai Indians (MI), renowned as five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, find themselves in the throes of a dismal season. With their recent loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), their playoff aspirations seem to be fading away. The defeat not only marked their eighth loss in eleven games but also pushed them to the brink of elimination. The Wankhede Stadium, once a fortress for Mumbai, now witnesses their struggle as they falter in crucial chases, epitomizing their season’s woes.
Crucial matches ahead for MI
In Mumbai’ remaining IPL 2024 fixtures, every game is crucial as they aim to keep their Playoffs hopes alive. They are set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 6 at Wankhede, followed by a showdown against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 11 at Eden Gardens. Their final fixture is against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 17 at Wankhede. These matches will be decisive in shaping Mumbai’s journey in the tournament.
A glimmer of hope
Despite the gloomy outlook, there remains a faint glimmer of hope for the Mumbai. With three matches left in their campaign, they cling to the possibility of a miraculous turnaround. However, the path to redemption is fraught with challenges, requiring not only victories in all their remaining fixtures but also a series of favorable outcomes in other matches.
A fourth defeat on the bounce has led to Mumbai Indians Play-Off chances hanging by a thread. They are mathematically not yet out of it, but for all practical purposes the campaign has come to a sad end to one of the most prestigious franchises of the competition.
Also READ: IPL 2024: Fans thrilled to see Janhvi Kapoor sporting a ‘Mahi’ jersey at the MI vs KKR match.
Mumbai Indians’ slim path to Playoffs
In a hypothetical scenario, Mumbai Indians are clinging to a slim chance of qualifying for the Play-Offs amidst their struggling campaign in the IPL. With Rajasthan Royals (RR) and KKR firmly positioned with 16 and 14 points respectively, Mumbai find themselves needing a series of specific outcomes to stay in contention.
Critical matches and calculations
For Mumbai to stay in the race, they must secure victories in all their remaining matches, reaching a total of 12 points. Furthermore, the fate of their qualification is closely tied to the SRH vs LSG clash on May 8. If the winner of this match maintains their winning streak and reaches 16 points, while the loser remains stagnant at 12 points after consecutive defeats, Mumbai could remain in contention. Nevertheless, this scenario is contingent upon none of the teams currently outside the top four surpassing 12 points.
The role of Net Run Rate (NRR)
With multiple teams potentially tied at 12 points each, net run rate (NRR) becomes the deciding factor. Mumbai must not only secure victories but also aim to improve their NRR significantly to stand a chance amidst this tight competition. In this high-stakes scenario, every run and wicket becomes crucial as Mumbai will look to fight to keep their playoffs dreams alive.
