Big worry for MI: Historical hurdle awaits ahead of IPL 2025 Eliminator

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians’ hopes of finishing in the top two of the IPL 2025 league stage came crashing down on Monday, after a 7-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in Jaipur. The five-time champions ended the league phase in fourth place with 16 points from eight wins and six losses — a respectable tally, but not enough to secure the coveted double chance in the playoffs.Known for their sluggish starts, MI once again stumbled early in the season, losing four of their first five matches. However, a remarkable turnaround — powered by Suryakumar Yadav’s dream run (640 runs in 14 games) and the bowling prowess of Trent Boult (19 wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (17) — saw them win six games in a row and book a playoff berth with one match to spare.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Despite the strong comeback, missing out on the top-two finish could haunt them.

Teams finishing in the top two get two shots at making the final — a clear advantage in the high-stakes playoffs. Who's that IPL player?Now, MI will have to tread the harder path via the Eliminator on May 30, needing to win two knockout matches to reach the final.The greater concern, however, lies in MI’s historical performance pattern.

All five of their IPL titles (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) have come in seasons where they finished in the top two of the league stage.

They’ve reached the top two six times in 18 seasons — and converted five of those into championship wins. Crucially, they’ve never won the IPL after finishing outside the top two.Further compounding their challenge, MI are winless this season against the three other playoff teams — Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru — having lost all four encounters.

For the Hardik Pandya-led side, the road ahead is as difficult as ever. With history against them and form questionable against the remaining contenders, Mumbai Indians must produce something special to rewrite the script and chase a record sixth title.