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IPL 2025: Are the Mumbai Indians the team to beat heading into Playoffs?

by Devesh Jaganath

image IPL 2025: Are the Mumbai Indians the team to beat heading into Playoffs?
We are two games away from the 2025 Indian Premier League Playoffs, and the four teams set to feature in the knockout stages are already locked in. While there is plenty that can happen in a knockout match, one team coming good at just the right time is the Mumbai Indians.

Mumbai Indians peaking ahead of IPL Playoffs

Coming into the final weekend of the IPL group stage, the Gujarat Titans held a massive advantage in locking down one of the coveted top two places, which grants home advantage in the Playoff rounds. 

However, there are now concerns that the wheels may be coming off for the Titans, as they lost their penultimate match of the group by 33 runs to the Lucknow Super Giants before alarm bells really started sounding following a thumping 83-run loss to basement team, Chennai Super Kings. 

Similarly, the teams in second and third place also conceded disappointing losses in recent days, with the Punjab Kings going down by six wickets to the Delhi Capitals, while the Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost by 42 runs to second-bottom Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

All the while, the Mumbai Indians have quietly crept up into the top four after a dismal start to the season, and if they win their final match of the group, the five-time champions could head into the Playoffs top of the table. 

Our Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians prediction is available online, and Mumbai enter the fixture with all the momentum, having won seven of their last eight matches. The only exception was a three-wicket defeat to GT, which came about via the DLS method.

As a result, the Hardik Pandya-led side now has the out-and-out best net run rate in the competition of +1.292, meaning that if they end level on 18 points with current leaders GT, whose net run rate is +0.254, Mumbai hold the advantage. 

For now, though, Pandya and co. have to focus on the task at hand, beating the Punjab Kings on Monday. Both teams are set to be without key foreign players in the Playoffs, and this match will allow them an opportunity to give some of their extended squad some playing minutes. 

Mumbai Indians permutations ahead of IPL group stage

ipl_hardik_pandya

As things stand, the Gujarat Titans have completed their 14 group-stage games and lead the IPL standings with 18 points. The Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are on 17 points apiece with a game to play, while Mumbai are on 16 points. 

Given their excellent net run rate, if the Mumbai Indians beat the Punjab Kings on Monday, they will finish in the top two. RCB can claim first place if they win their final match against LSG, while a loss for RCB and a win for MI will mean Mumbai will end top. 

A loss for the Mumbai Indians will mean that first place in the group will come down to the Punjab Kings and RCB, with the former currently holding a slender advantage on net run rate. If Monday’s MI vs PBKS game is washed out, Mumbai will not be able to finish in the top two. 

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