Mumbai Indians are still in the reckoning for IPL 2026, but their path to the playoffs looks extremely difficult. After a run of six defeats from eight matches, including their most recent loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, the Hardik Pandya-led side would need to win all of their remaining six fixtures just to keep their qualification hopes alive. Even then, their fate could hinge on how other results go across the league. Historically, teams reaching the 16-point mark have often managed to squeeze into the playoff race, which is why MI’s situation is now a must-win scenario.
Ashwin says he can’t make sense of MI’s season
Ravichandran Ashwin, a former IPL standout and one of India’s leading spin voices, sounded unconvinced that Mumbai can recover in time. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said he was genuinely surprised by the way the team has performed in the tournament and that he could not understand how it had become possible. Ashwin added that, while Mumbai Indians had been his favourite team before the competition started, he has felt on multiple occasions that their turnaround would come—only for it not to happen.
When asked whether MI could win six out of six matches, Ashwin responded negatively and explained his reasoning. He pointed to the way Mumbai let go of a huge total against KKR, noting that they conceded 220 and that no other team had allowed that many runs to KKR. He also said KKR have not been able to score at such a level against other opponents, and suggested that Mumbai have not shown the ability to chase big targets either—citing their failure to chase 230–240 and their inability to reach the target of 208 against CSK. Ashwin further argued that the team’s batting order struggles if conditions prompt a change in the pitch, while their bowling has also appeared vulnerable when the surface offers little assistance.
Hardik: MI fell short of the franchise’s standards
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged that the side missed the level expected from the franchise after their six-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), despite posting 243 in the first innings at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. In their bid to set a challenging target, MI opted to bat first and produced a strong platform thanks to Ryan Rickelton, who struck an unbeaten 123 off 55 balls. That effort helped Mumbai reach 243/5 in 20 overs.
SRH then chased the target successfully with eight balls to spare. Travis Head top-scored with 76 from 30 deliveries, while Heinrich Klaasen struck 65* off 30 balls. Abhishek Sharma contributed 45 off 24 balls, and Salil Arora added an unbeaten 30 off 10 balls as SRH completed the chase comfortably.
The setback was Mumbai’s sixth loss in eight matches in IPL 2026 so far. After the game, Hardik admitted that the team has not been playing to the standards that define Mumbai Indians, while also stressing the need to pinpoint where improvements are required. He maintained confidence that with the support of the team’s management and staff, the franchise can find solutions and turn the performances around.
