Mumbai Indians' playoff qualification chances: Can Hardik Pandya-led side end up in top four?
by Naman Jain · Inside Sport IndiaCatch how the Mumbai Indians can still qualify for the playoffs after losing seven of their first ten matches in IPL 2026.
Mumbai Indians (MI) are running out of time and, more importantly, chances. Hardik Pandya’s team proved to do well, but just on paper. But now they’re near the bottom of the table and virtually out of IPL 2026, despite a victory over the Lucknow Super Giants on May 4.
This has been a trend for the five-time champions, who have finished with a wooden spoon twice in the last four seasons. Hardik Pandya’s absence was a bit of a shock, but Rohit Sharma’s return balanced it out for MI as the hosts chased down 229 with 8 balls to spare.
Apart from that, lifeless bowling performances and the skipper running out of ideas have only accentuated their issues. Mumbai has struggled to click as a unit, and even individual brilliance has not been enough to bail them out. With just three wins so far and a negative net run rate, they are all but out of the competition.
IPL 2026 Points Table
| Position | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PBKS | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 13 | +0.855 |
| 2 | RCB | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 | +1.420 |
| 3 | SRH | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | +0.644 |
| 4 | RR | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | +0.510 |
| 5 | GT | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | -0.147 |
| 6 | CSK | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 8 | +0.005 |
| 7 | DC | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 8 | -0.895 |
| 8 | KKR | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | -0.539 |
| 9 | MI | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | -0.649 |
| 10 | LSG | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 | -1.076 |
Mumbai Indians qualification chances for IPL 2026 playoffs
- Problem starts now
Since 10 teams in the IPL have come into being, 16 is the sweet spot, the points mostly needed to make it to the playoffs. Last year, they qualified with the same number of points. It is not like teams have not qualified with 14 earlier, but there will be a lot of permutations and combinations at play now. Even if MI wins their remaining 4 games, 14 points is the best they can do. Considering 5 reams already have 12 or more points, and 16 being the lowest bar, it’s safe to assume that MI has no virtual chance of qualification.
- MI virtually out
There is perhaps no coming back from here. The way things are going… The biggest concern is not the batting. They just chased 229 in 18.4 overs. That says everything. Jasprit Bumrah has not been at his sharpest, Trent Boult has lacked bite, and the support cast has not delivered. Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, and some youngsters have been let down. While Hardik is leading the side, the overall balance looks off.
Mumbai Indians remaining IPL 2026 matches
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 10 | vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Raipur |
| May 14 | vs Punjab Kings | Dharamsala |
| May 20 | vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Kolkata |
| May 24 | vs Rajasthan Royals | Mumbai |
MI, who generally boast a good record at home, have won two of the six matches played at Wankhede Stadium. That has killed the momentum that they gained after the opening win over KKR in their season-opener. Apart from this, MI’s away record has been bad. Since 2021, MI have won just 14 out of the 37 away IPL matches. In IPL 2026, the Mumbai franchise still has three away matches left.