MI, DC meet in high-stakes clash for last playoffs spot
MI will go through if they win, but victory for DC will extend the playoffs race further
S Sudarshanan
20-May-2025
The big picture: MI qualify if they win
Mumbai Indians (MI) find themselves in an unusual situation. They will be in action on the fifth day after IPL 2025 resumed. That is more than two weeks after their previous match - against Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 6. And as soon as they hit the field, they face almost a must-win situation.
If MI beat Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday, they will enter the playoffs. If they lose, a lot will hinge on a couple of games: DC's match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) first and then MI's own match against PBKS. MI would not want to tempt fate further by leaving it too late, even though their net run-rate of 1.156 is easily the best of all the teams.
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The first jailbreak for MI came against the same opponent earlier this season. They had lost four of their first five matches before landing in Delhi. Three run-outs in the last over didn't just help MI beat DC but also start a run of six successive wins. One that kept their hopes alive.
They again face DC at a crucial time in the season. And they are coming off a close defeat.
For DC to qualify, they ideally need two wins out of two. A loss on Wednesday will knock them out. And winning on Wednesday but losing their last game will leave them hoping MI also lose their last match. It's a tough ask for DC considering they have lost four of their last five completed matches and are now without Mitchell Starc.
Form guide
Mumbai Indians LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Delhi Capitals LLLWL
Delhi Capitals LLLWL
In the spotlight: Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul
MI's bowling attack has looked quite different after the return of Jasprit Bumrah from injury. He has bowled across each phase - 11 overs each in the powerplay and the death and ten in the middle. In the first four games without Bumrah, MI's death-overs economy rate was 11.18, which has improved to 9.07 in the games since. While DC took him apart in the first fixture, it was just his second game upon return. They will now counter him at a venue where he averages 12.88 this season.
In the words of bowling coach Munaf Patel, KL Rahul "asked for" the opening spot in DC's last game and responded with an unbeaten century. He now comes to the Wankhede where he averages 63.40 in the IPL. And he will face MI against whom he averages 74.23 and strikes at 135.15 with six fifties and three hundreds. He also has a favourable match-up against Bumrah (average 73, strike rate 123.72, two dismissals), Deepak Chahar (strike rate 159.59 for no dismissals in 99 balls) and Trent Boult (average 49, strike rate 148.48 for two dismissals).
Team news and possible XIIs
MI are unlikely to tinker with their line-up. The only toss-up could be between Corbin Bosch and Mitchell Santner depending on conditions.
Mumbai Indians (probable XII): 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Will Jacks, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Corbin Bosch/Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Karn Sharma/Ashwani Kumar, 11 Trent Boult, 12 Jasprit Bumrah
Sediqullah Atal, Harry Brook's replacement at DC, batted a fair while at match-eve training. He could be in contention to replace Faf du Plessis, who has been short of runs.
Delhi Capitals (probable XII): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Faf du Plessis/Sediqullah Atal, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 Axar Patel (capt), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Sameer Rizvi, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 T Natarajan, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mustafizur Rahman, 12 Dushmantha Chameera
The big question
Pitch and conditions
Of the six games at the Wankhede this season, four have been won by teams chasing. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had to score a big total of 221 in order to successfully defend it. With chances of rain in Mumbai on Wednesday evening, teams will be inclined to chase once again.
Stats and trivia
- Suryakumar Yadav has 25-plus scores in each of his last 12 innings, the longest streak in the IPL. Temba Bavuma holds the record for the longest such streak in men's T20 cricket - 13 innings.
- Axar Patel has opened the bowling in three of the last four games he has bowled in. There is a case for him to do so against MI on Wednesday - with his positive match-up against Rohit Sharma: 69 balls, 63 runs, three dismissals.
- Rohit needs to hit three sixes to become the first Indian to 300 sixes in the IPL. Only Chris Gayle (397) has more in the IPL.
- DC average 19.83 for the opening wicket in IPL 2025, the lowest among all teams.
Quotes
"It will matter because he is our main fast bowler who bowls at 145kph, swings the ball and that too at the Wankhede wicket where both swing and bounce is available. It matters 100%, 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?'"
Bowling coach Munaf Patel on DC missing Starc after the resumption of the IPL
Bowling coach Munaf Patel on DC missing Starc after the resumption of the IPL
"It's still a game of cricket, whether it's a World Cup final, whether it's an IPL final. I can't control the dynamics. I can't control the fans or how media is reacting to the whole thing. What I can control is to make sure the guys are focused to play a game of cricket. It'll be for them a normal game of cricket as long as I can get them to think like that."
Head coach Mahela Jayawardene on the situation MI are in
Head coach Mahela Jayawardene on the situation MI are in
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7