How can Mumbai Indians qualify for playoff after losing the match to GT

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) played a key IPL 2025 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday night. It was an even contest between the bat and ball as the match went down to the wire. In the end it was GT who held their nerves to win the game and move a step closer to the playoffs. The win also meant that Gujarat Titans reached the top of the table with just a handful of games left to play. 

Earlier in the day it was the Mumbai Indians who were asked to bat first after Shubman Gill won the toss. The home team ended their innings at 155 runs from their quota of 20 overs. English batter Will Jacks led the batting charge with his knock of 53, while Suryakumar Yadav scored 36. 

In reply, GT lost the wicket of Sai Sudharsan early for five to Trent Boult. This was followed by a stand of 72 runs for the second wicket between Buttler and Gill in 59 balls. Ashwani Kumar, who came on as a concussion sub for Corbin Bosch, got the key wicket of Buttler for 30. There was a small halt in play due to rain as GT needed 49 off 36 balls. 

Once the rain stopped, Jasprit Bumrah got the wickets of Shubman Gill and Shah Rukh Khan to get MI back into the game. Trent Boult and Ashwani Kumar got the wickets of Sherfane Rutherford and Rashid Khan to give Mumbai the upper hand. With 24 needed from 12, the game stopped again as rains came down for the second time. Play started again as GT needed 15 runs in one over to win the game. GT batters kept their nerves to win the game with three wickets and on the last ball of the game. 

How can Mumbai Indians qualify for the playoffs?

With this loss to Gujarat Titans on Tuesday, MI have 14 points from 12 games. Their final two games of the season are against Punjab Kings away from home and then Delhi Capitals at home on May 15th. The best Mumbai Indians can do now is win both their games and take their season tally to 18 points from 14 matches. This will give MI a chance to sneak into the top four. 

If the Mumbai Indians win just one game out of the final matches, then in that scenario they end up on 16 points. In this scenario, MI will have to hope Delhi wins just one game and ends their season on 15 points. Not only does MI have to beat Delhi at home but also hope that DC wins one of their other games, which will give DC only 15 points. 

In case MI loses both their games, then there will be a huge problem. In such a scenario, then MI will have to hope that Delhi loses all their games, which will keep them on 13 points. The Men in Blue and Gold also will be hoping that KKR and LSG just win one game from their final three matches of the season.