Mumbai: In a disappointing turn of events for Mumbai Indians (MI) fans, the franchise has been knocked out of the playoffs race in the ongoing IPL 2024 season. This development came after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) clinched a resounding victory against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), securing a ten-wicket win with 10.2 overs to spare on Wednesday.
SRH’s triumph in Hyderabad propelled them to third place on the points table, accumulating 14 points, trailing behind Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, both with 16 points each. With an upcoming clash between LSG and Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 14, one of these teams is guaranteed to reach at least 13 points.
MI, under the leadership of new skipper Hardik Pandya, faced a rocky start to their campaign, enduring three consecutive defeats. Although they managed to secure victories in three of their subsequent four matches, a subsequent streak of four losses ended their hopes of playoff qualification.
MI’s maximum attainable points of 12, even if they win their remaining two league matches, effectively leaves them out of the top four. A similar fate awaits the losing team from the Thursday fixture between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala.
The standout performer for MI throughout the season has been Jasprit Bumrah, who leads the wicket charts with 18 dismissals in 12 games, boasting an impressive economy rate of 6.20. However, the team has struggled with inconsistency in both batting and bowling departments. Apart from Bumrah, none of their bowlers have maintained sufficient economy rates, while the batting unit has failed to produce standout performances.
Tilak Varma emerges as the highest run-scorer for MI with 384 runs at an average of 42.66, closely followed by Suryakumar Yadav with 334 runs in nine innings. Captain Hardik Pandya has endured a disappointing season, managing only 198 runs in 11 innings, coupled with a modest bowling record of 11 wickets at an economy rate of 10.58.
Despite experimenting with overseas players such as Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, and Nuwan Thushara, MI has struggled to extract optimal performances. Their spin department, in particular, has been a weak link, accounting for only 13 of the 68 wickets taken by the team thus far. While MI has managed to secure victories in three out of their six home games, their performances on the road have been lackluster, with a solitary win in five away encounters.
MI’s premature exit from the tournament extends their wait for a sixth IPL title, having previously clinched the trophy in 2019 and 2020. Since their back-to-back triumphs, MI has faltered in subsequent seasons, making the playoffs only once in four attempts, with their elimination in the 2023 season at the hands of Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2.
