Follow UsDown and out? Nah, that’s the Mumbai Indians' (MI) way. After just one win in their first five games, the MI have won back-to-back games for the first time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 to get their campaign back on track.
If it was a nervy win against Delhi Capitals on April 13 (Sunday), the five-time IPL winners just absolutely wiped the floor with the 2016 IPL champions on April 17 (Thursday). So, how can they still make it to the top two?
Last season, too, they won three out of their first seven games but somehow finished bottom from thereon. So, they should be mindful of that while still drawing inspiration from the 2023 season, when they reached the playoffs from a similar position.
Points that MI will finish with: 20
It is quite straightforward that if MI win all their remaining games, they will have a very good chance of topping the table. As it stands, MI have three wins in seven games, and winning their remaining seven games might give them ten wins and 20 points.
No team in the history of IPL hasn’t finished in the top two after achieving 20 points. MI have topped the table in 2010, 2017, 2019 and 2020, out of which they have won three titles. So, teams would beware of that battle.
Points that MI will finish with: 18
Even if you consider the possibility that MI lose one out of their remaining games this season, the five-time IPL winners could end up potentially in the top two. Why potentially? Well, for that to materialise with confidence, MI will have to absolutely jack up their net run-rate over the next six games, and ensure that they don’t lose the other one by a huge margin.
Points that MI will finish with: 16 points
Last year, RCB finished with 14 points and yet qualified for the playoffs. However, for that to happen, there’s a lot of probability that has to go your way. But if MI win five out of the next seven games, they will finish with 16 points.
On most occasions, MI will not just finish with 16 points; they might even qualify for the playoffs. But for that to happen, they will have to monitor their net run rate.
Points that MI will finish with: 12 points
It's not surprising that whenever a team has finished with 12 points, it has most likely finished outside the top four. It might even be a possibility, given that their remaining seven fixtures are Chennai (H), Hyderabad (A), Lucknow (H), Rajasthan (A), Gujarat (H), Punjab (A), and Delhi (H).
There’s a serious possibility that MI will lose four of its next seven fixtures, especially given how LSG, DC, and GT are playing this season. If it happens, it will be their second consecutive season without qualifying for the playoffs.