With the final spot in the playoffs up for grabs, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have all to play for when they meet at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, with various results possible.
Mumbai Indians are in fourth spot in the points table with 14 points from 12 matches, while Delhi Capitals have 13 points from as many matches. Both teams have one more match to play against Punjab Kings, but winning Wednesday's match will ensure MI a playoff spot while Delhi need to win both their matches to reach the knockouts.
But with rain looming on the horizon, there is a possibility that the match could prove a damp squib. In case of an unfortunate abandonment or no result, it will turn into a one-match shoot-out for both teams, at the same time hoping that the other team loses. Both teams will face Punjab Kings, who have already qualified for the playoffs.
The BCCI has changed the rule and have now given an extra hour in case of weather interruption. But MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene felt that may not change much as things would not be in their hands in case the weather acts up.
Obviously, the weather has been threatening most of the games, and it's a decision they've collectively taken. If it helps, it helps. But if you have serious rain, I don't know whether the extra hour is going to help. But as long as we can get a game with the extension, yeah. I mean, I think everyone wants to play a game of cricket rather than not play.
The MI head coach said his players have had some hard training sessions in the last week or so and are hoping to play their best game again.
Both teams have taken contrasting paths to reach this position when they are battling it out for the final qualifying spot.
Delhi Capitals got off to a 4-0 winning spree while Mumbai Indians won only one in five matches and were at the opposite ends of the points table. But now they are in a neck-and-neck race.
After that horrible start, Mumbai Indians have made a grand comeback, fighting their way back into contention on the back of a six-match winning spree. Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, went off the boil, losing three matches, while a no result against Sunrisers Hyderabad did not help matters much.
While some of Mumbai's players have rediscovered their form and the infusion of young blood in the form of Ashwani Kumar and Vignesh Puthur, too, has helped them, Delhi will have to thank K.L. Rahul for playing some crucial knocks that have saved them the blushes on a few occasions.
He is batting extraordinarily, he has scored runs in all positions. He puts his hand up whenever the team is in need. He only suggested that he would open the innings because the opening pair wasn’t settling down and went on to make a hundred.
The bigger concern for them will be the absence of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who has decided not to return to the league after the week-long break because of the border tension between India and Pakistan.
Starc has been their best bowler this season with 15 wickets while Kuldeep Yadav has bagged 12. Patel said his Starc's absence will be on a Wankhede pitch that usually offers assistance to pacers.
It will matter because he is our main fast bowler who bowls at 145 kmph, swings the ball, and that too at the Wankhede wicket where both swing and bounce are available. It matters 100 per cent, but when there is no option, you have to think of other alternatives, you cannot get stuck thinking ‘oh he is not there now, what will happen?’. You have to move ahead with whatever you have and ensure they perform. But somewhere you have to sacrifice, we don’t have our main bowler in Mitchell Starc, and we have to decide who has to bowl with the new ball. Obviously, coming off that loss, here at the Wankhede, where the ball does move (off the surface) and there’s bounce, there has been a lot of discussion on it.
However, Munaf said they are confident of their chances and will go into the match with a positive attitude.
Of course, there’s a bit of pressure as it is a must-win game for us. If we lose this one (against MI), we will be out of the tournament. Yes, there were some mistakes, and we were not able to capitalise on some occasions. But the atmosphere in the team is very good and we are still very positive. We are just focusing on the next game.
MI pacers have propelled them ahead with Trent Boult leading the charge with 18 wickets and Bumrah and Hardik Pandya claiming 13 wickets apiece. Deepak Chahar has bagged 10 wickets while Ashwani Kumar and Vignesh Puthur have made impactful debuts.
On the batting front, Suryakumar Yadav has been in superb form while Rickleton, Rohit Sharma, and Tilak Varma have done well in patches as MI surged ahead before Gujarat Titans halted their victory march just before the IPL 2025 went into a break.
Both teams are coming into the match with defeats against Gujarat Titans. Overall, Mumbai have an upper hand in head-to-head series with 20 wins in 36 matches while DC have won 16.
Probable playing XIs:
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Delhi Capitals: KL Rahul, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), Axar Patel (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, T Natarajan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Dushmantha Chameera.
