At the storied Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday, the Mumbai Indians lost by seven wickets to the formidable Punjab Kings in Match No. 69 of the IPL 2025. MI’s loss guaranteed them a spot in the IPL 2025 Eliminator and prevented them from finishing in the top two.
Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya both scored half-centuries to help Punjab reach their target of 185 with nine balls remaining. The pair put together a combination of 109 runs that hurt MI’s prospects of earning a spot in Qualifier 1. Consequently, MI finished their league stage campaign in fourth place with 16 points from 14 games. The crucial question at hand, though, is who will play the Mumbai Indians in the elimination round.
They will have to wait for the outcome of the season’s final league match between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), which is set for Tuesday, May 27, as the Hardik Pandya-led team has now been confirmed for the Eliminator.
In the Eliminator, which team will play the Mumbai Indians?
Scene 1: RCB triumphs over LSG
The Gujarat Titans, who are now in second place with 18 points, will fall to 19 points if Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeats the Lucknow Super Giants. RCB has a chance to finish first with a higher net run-rate (NRR) if they defeat LSG by a significant margin.
If this occurs, on Thursday, May 29, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, RCB will play the Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. On Friday, May 30, in Mullanpur, the Mumbai Indians will play the Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator.
Scenario 2: LSG defeats RCB
Gujarat Titans will play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 if the Lucknow Super Giants spoil the celebration by defeating RCB. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will then finish fourth and play the Mumbai Indians in the elimination round as a result.
Why is finishing in the top two important?
There are no second chances in the Eliminator game, unlike the teams in Qualifier 1. The loser is eliminated, but the victor remains in the running for the IPL 2025 championship. The victor of this match advances to Qualifier 2, where they will meet the Qualifier 1 loser.
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