The Mumbai Indians' (MI) hopes of reaching the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs ended on Wednesday after Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) dominant win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
MI, the five-time IPL champions, have only managed four wins so far in their first season under captain Hardik Pandya. With eight losses already on their record, they can only reach a maximum of 12 points even if they win their remaining two matches.
SRH's victory propelled them to 14 points in the standings. With Delhi Capitals (DC) and LSG set to clash on May 14, at least one of those teams will also reach 14 points. This mathematically eliminates MI from playoff contention.
MI's remaining matches present a tough challenge. They face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) next at Eden Gardens before concluding their season against LSG on May 17.
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While Jasprit Bumrah has been consistent with the ball, MI's batting lineup has lacked consistency. Hardik's captaincy has also come under scrutiny.
The SRH win also means the upcoming match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) becomes a knockout contest. The loser will be officially eliminated from the competition.
IPL 2024 Points Table After SRH vs LSG Match
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kolkata Knight Riders | 11 | 8 | 3 | 16 | +1.453 |
| 2. | Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 8 | 3 | 16 | +0.476 |
| 3. | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 12 | 7 | 5 | 14 | +0.41 |
| 4. | Chennai Super Kings | 11 | 6 | 5 | 12 | +0.700 |
| 5. | Delhi Capitals | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -0.316 |
| 6. | Lucknow Super Giants | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -0.769 |
| 7. | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -0.049 |
| 8. | Punjab Kings | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -0.187 |
| 9. | Mumbai Indians | 12 | 4 | 8 | 8 | -0.212 |
| 10. | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 | -1.320 |
SRH Crushes LSG to Enter Top 3
SRH responded emphatically to their recent loss against MI by crushing LSG to climb back into the top three of the IPL standings.
Opting to bat first, LSG struggled and posted their lowest powerplay total of the season (27 for 2). KL Rahul's innings was criticized, and the team relied on Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran for late-innings momentum. LSG ultimately managed only 165 runs in their 20 overs.
Despite initial impressions of a slow pitch, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma dominated the chase. Head reached his fifty off just 16 balls, while Abhishek matched his feat in 19 deliveries. SRH amassed 107 runs in the powerplay, leaving LSG bewildered. The dominant victory, secured with 10 wickets.