Mumbai Indians on brink: Even 5 straight wins may not save Hardik Pandya’s side from IPL 2026 exit
It's almost over for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 and still not all over. They are alive in the playoffs race by barest of the margins.
Mumbai Indians (MI) are on the brink of elimination from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 after suffering their seventh loss in just nine games on Saturday against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Having lost by 103 runs to CSK at home, MI went down to the five-time champions by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the reverse fixture.
Hardik Pandya's Mumbai Indians have won just two games, and are currently stranded in the ninth spot with four points from nine games and a negative net run rate (NRR) of -0.803.
Mumbai Indians' playoff scenarios
Mumbai have five games left and 10 points are on offer. In the best-case scenario, they can jump to 14 points if they win all five matches.
More from FirstcricketIPL teams in the past have qualified for the playoffs with 14 points, which is why the Mumbai Indians are still mathematically alive in the race. However, they no longer control their own destiny.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) currently lead the table with 13 points, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) already have 12 points. Most of these teams also have five matches left.
IPL points table:
All these teams need is to win one match each to have 14 points or more. If they win two matches, then MI will have no chance to catch them, eliminating them even if they manage to win all their remaining five matches.
Also, it's not just the top teams. Even the Gujarat Titans (GT), CSK, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can cross the 14-point threshold if they win most of their matches from hereon.
This only signifies that while the Mumbai Indians are still alive in the IPL 2026 playoffs race, even winning the remaining five matches may not be enough. They also do not have a healthy net run rate to hold onto any hope in case other teams falter.
Most likely, a single loss from hereon would confirm elimination for the Mumbai Indians this season.
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