Having lost seven games out of the nine they have played, the Mumbai Indians are in dire straits in the IPL 2026. The loss against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday may have ended their campaign as even captain Hardik Pandya has admitted that it "not the season" for them.
However, is all hope lost? Can the 5-time winners of the competition still qualify for the playoffs?
Can Mumbai Indians still qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs?
Since there are yet to play five more games in the league stage, it is still possible for MI to finish in the top-4, but it is highly unlikely.
Mumbai Indians can still mathematically qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs, but it is extremely unlikely and would require a near-miracle. As of May 3, 2026, MI sit in 9th place with just 4 points from 9 matches (2 wins, 7 losses) and a poor net run rate of around -0.803. They have 5 matches left and can reach a maximum of 14 points if they win all of them. While 14 points can occasionally be enough to sneak into the top four in a tight race, it would require several stronger teams ahead of them (like PBKS on 13 points and RCB, SRH, and RR on 12 points each) to drop a significant number of games. MI would also need to dramatically improve their NRR through big-margin victories to navigate tiebreakers, which currently favour other sides. Most experts described their hopes as "all but over" after the recent heavy loss to CSK.
In short, while not impossible on paper, the combination of results needed makes it highly improbable, and their focus is likely shifting to pride and spoiling others' chances rather than genuine playoff contention.
Read more news like this on www.etnownews.com