Things are only getting worse for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Their chances of qualifying for the playoffs have taken a massive hit after their defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday (April 30).
Mumbai Indians (MI) crossed swords with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 48th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The match between the two teams took place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
It was yet another terrible performance for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. They were on the receiving end of a 4-wicket thumping defeat against Lucknow Super Giants in the league. They were hot with the bat and didn’t give the bowlers the cushion to defend the target.
Mumbai Indians managed just 144 runs on the board, which in itself shows how poorly they had done. When they were asked to bat first, they got stuck on 4/27. faltering. Ishan Kishan (32) and Nehal Wadhera (46) played important hands with the bat and brought their team back into the game.
In the end, it was Tim David (35) who played a brutal overhanded hand and ensured Mumbai Indians ended with the fighting total on the board. Moshin Khan grabbed two wickets for Lucknow Super Giants while everyone except Deepak Hooda got a wicket.
With the ball, Mumbai Indians got off to a dream start as Nuwan Thosehara took out Arshin Kulkarni for a golden duck. But after that, captain KL Rahul (28) and Marcus Stoinis (62) played crucial hands with the bat and ensured that they kept the game under control.
Deepak Hooda (18) and Nicholas Pooran (14*) made useful contributions as Lucknow Super Giants chased down the target with ease. This was their sixth win in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) as they picked up 12 points and moved ever closer to the playoffs.
Mumbai Indians qualification scenario for IPL 2024 playoffs
Mumbai Indians have been put under immense pressure in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The loss against Lucknow Super Giants was their seventh loss in the tournament. They are in ninth place in the points table with just three wins. They also have a poor NRR of -0.272.
Mumbai Indians’ chances of qualifying are slim. To maximize their playoff chances, the Hardik Pandya-led side will need to win their last four games of the tournament. That puts them on 14 points, which doesn’t guarantee them a place in the important end of the tournament, especially if other teams are also in the running.
Aside from winning all their games, they need to make sure they win big as they have a negative NRR. In addition, they need other results that are in their favor. The Hardik Pandya-led side could not afford a defeat as it would eliminate them from the IPL.