Punjab face Mumbai with cloud over Chahal’s availability as he struggles to regain full fitness before tonight.
Punjab face Mumbai with top-two spot on the line.
A top-two finish seemed unattainable after the Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday to guarantee their postseason berth. However, the unpredictable nature of the IPL has opened the door wide.
MI’s road has been cleared by Gujarat Titans’ (GT) consecutive losses as well as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) and Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) penultimate league losses. It’s easy now: win on Monday to guarantee their place in the top two.
After 11 years, PBKS is back in the playoffs, and a victory would make them the first team to guarantee a spot in the top two. The short turnaround is the problem, though. After failing to defend 206 in Saturday’s loss to DC, PBKS will have had just 48 hours to bounce back. Both familiarity and fatigue may play a role, since they have played in Jaipur twice in a row since the IPL resumed, and that information may be helpful.
This season has been a time of redemption for Hardik Pandya. Hardik has made a remarkable comeback after leading them to last place in 2024 and a run of losses at the beginning of the 2025 Indian Premier League. While Suryakumar has been an example of consistency, Rohit Sharma has found some form. As usual, Jasprit Bumrah has given them a strong point of differentiation since his injury return. And in his first season with MI, Mitchell Santner has been a huge asset to the squad.
Shreyas Iyer appears to have continued where he left off with the Kolkata Knight Riders, the winners, last season for PBKS. With the bat, he has set the tempo for them, but his confidence in a youthful, largely Indian batting lineup has been validated.
Given that both clubs will be missing important players throughout the playoffs, Monday’s game might be very important. A victory will provide them breathing room in addition to momentum. Securing a top-two finish will grant the coveted luxury of a second chance in a campaign where one poor night might spell disaster.