Punjab Kings dominated the Mumbai Indians and won by 7 wickets to move to the top of the table in the IPL. PBKS are still the only unbeaten side in the IPL this season. Chasing MI's target of 195 runs, the Punjab Kings got off to a good start, scoring 62 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the powerplay. Captain Shreyas Iyer guided the visitors to yet another impressive run chase, scoring 66 runs in 35 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh remained unbeaten at 80 runs in 39 balls. Speaking after the defeat, MI captain Hardik Pandya was disappointed with his team's performance. This was the Mumbai Indians' fourth loss in a row after a winning start to the tournament. "To be very honest, I don't have much to say right now. I think we really need to go back on the drawing board and see where we are lacking. Is it individuals? Is it as a group? Is it as planning? We'll just figure it out and see what we can do next. I think we need to give credit to them as well. The ball started reversing. In the second inning, the dew came, and it slightly got better but having said that, they just outbeat us. They bowled better, they batted better, they fielded better, definitely and that talks to us again. No, I think we need to see, do we need to make some difficult calls or do we need to keep continuing and hope that we'll turn things around? These are some harsh questions that we eventually need to answer and yeah, ownership has to be taken." Pandya said. Shreyas Iyer delighted with Punjab Kings' start to the season PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer was delighted with his teams victory. The Indian star said he was confident and optimistic about his team's form. "Certainly confident and optimistic the way we have been playing. Also we have our heads on our shoulder. I am glad that today we came out and got that victory. He has certainly raised up his bar, even though he was getting runs, he was giving us excellent starts, this year he has been more mature, match by match he is getting more mature. My catch. We have this tendancy of pulling things back, even against SRH, the way we bowled.. We haven't decided about that as of now, I have been luck to win the toss, lot of positive players in the team to go out and express themselves. I personally feel you need to keep getting better each and every game, that is the reciepe we keep following. I have seen the crowd coming in numbers and cheering us." Iyer said.
16 April,2026 11:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Punjab Kings (PBKS) got off to a solid start, scoring 61 runs for the loss of two wickets at the end of the powerplay while chasing the Mumbai Indians’ total of 195. The visitors lost the wicket of Priyansh Arya early but have since settled well into the chase. PBKS openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya began aggressively, taking on the MI bowlers from the outset. Deepak Chahar’s first over proved expensive, conceding 21 runs as PBKS found their rhythm straight away. Arya departed soon after, dismissed by AM Ghazanfar. Australian batter Cooper Connolly was also sent back by the Afghan spinner, who impressed with two early wickets. Prabhsimran Singh was then dropped by Jasprit Bumrah off Hardik Pandya’s bowling, giving PBKS a crucial reprieve. PBKS scored 61 runs in six overs and will fancy their chances of chasing down the target, given their recent form. Captain Shreyas Iyer remains the key wicket for the Mumbai Indians and could play a decisive role in the outcome of the match. Jasprit Bumrah will be keen to make an impact for the hosts, with his remaining overs likely to be crucial to MI’s chances. The Indian pacer is still searching for his first wicket of the season. Earlier, the Mumbai Indians posted 195 for 6 in their 20 overs against the Punjab Kings. Quinton de Kock starred for the hosts with a शानदार knock of 112 runs off just 60 balls. De Kock, who replaced Rohit Sharma in the MI line-up, showcased his class with a blistering innings that powered MI to a competitive total. For PBKS, Arshdeep Singh was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/22 in his four overs. He was supported by Shashank Singh on what was otherwise a challenging day for the Punjab bowlers. Confirmed Playing XI for both teams: Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah
16 April,2026 10:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Indians got off to a slow start, managing just 48 runs at the end of the powerplay. The hosts, who have lost their last three matches, are aiming to bounce back against the only unbeaten side this season, Punjab Kings. With Rohit Sharma sidelined due to injury, Ryan Rickelton opened alongside Quinton de Kock in a new-look partnership for MI. However, the experiment faltered early as Rickelton was caught at deep square leg. Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 but was dismissed off the very first ball, with Arshdeep Singh continuing his impressive form. The Indian T20 skipper has struggled for consistency and is enduring a lean patch this season. Naman Dhir came in at No. 4 and got a reprieve when Yuzvendra Chahal dropped a straightforward catch, which could have put MI in deeper trouble. Dhir made the most of the opportunity, emerging as MI’s most effective batter in the powerplay with a brisk 27 off 16 balls. At the end of six overs, Mumbai Indians were 48/2. With players like Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma yet to come, MI will look to build a competitive total against an in-form PBKS side. For Punjab Kings, Arshdeep Singh stood out with the ball, picking up two wickets for just four runs in his first two overs. Earlier, after losing the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma would miss the match due to injury and is likely to be sidelined for a couple of games. All-rounder Mitchell Santner is also unavailable due to illness. “Rohit is still recovering and will need a couple of matches to assess his condition. Mitchell Santner is also unwell and unavailable. We have made a few changes — Quinton de Kock returns to the side, and Mayank Rawat makes his debut,” Pandya said. Confirmed Playing XI for both teams: Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah
16 April,2026 08:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPunjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first against Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. PBKS have made an impressive start to the season and remain unbeaten so far, registering three wins along with one no-result. In contrast, MI have struggled to find consistency, managing just one victory in their last four outings. After winning the toss, Iyer said the decision to bowl first was influenced by pitch conditions and the likelihood of dew later in the evening. He also expressed satisfaction with his team’s strong start to the campaign. “We are going to bowl first. So far, so good — we’ve had a brilliant start to the IPL, which is what any captain hopes for. Our combination has been working well, and we need to build rhythm and maintain momentum. The wicket looks a bit dry, but I spoke to a few players who said it improves with dew, so that played a part in the decision. We are going with the same team,” Iyer said. Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya admitted he would have preferred to bowl first as well but remained optimistic about his team’s chances. “We would have liked to bowl first too, but it’s a good toss to lose. It’s time for us to play good cricket and secure a win. We’ve played decent cricket, but in a few crucial overs, we haven’t been able to capitalise and have lost key moments,” Pandya said. Pandya also confirmed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma will miss the match due to injury and is expected to be sidelined for a couple of games. Additionally, all-rounder Mitchell Santner is unavailable due to illness. “Rohit is still recovering and will need a couple of matches to assess his condition. Mitchell Santner is also unwell and unavailable. We have a few changes — Quinton de Kock returns to the side, and Mayank Rawat makes his debut,” he added. Confirmed Playing XI for both teams: Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah
16 April,2026 07:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to lock horns with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday in front of the home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium in what is going to be an epic clash, reminiscent of the 'Mahabharata'! Just as the 'Pandavas' and 'Kauravas' belonged to the same family tree, the Wankhede crowd will witness players who once shared the dressing room in Mumbai's domestic team take on each other. Here's another similarity: like the epic tale, both the sides also have towering figures such as Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, and Musheer Khan. These players are well aware of the ground's conditions and will look to assert dominance in the clash. Stalwart Rohit, who will likely feature in the match as an 'Impact Player', will be expected to hit towering maximums. In the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he sustained an injury, which forced him to retire hurt. Along with him, fans will also keep a tab on Suryakumar, who is a proven big scorer on the iconic ground. However, will these players succeed in delivering big knocks is the question, as managing the opponents' bowlers will be the city's very own Shreyas. So far, everybody is familiar with the Punjab skipper's game awareness and captaincy tactics. Considering that he will be leading a team in his home ground, the right-handed batsman will look to benefit himself with the advantage. Along with Shreyas, Musheer — known for his explosive batting just like his elder brother Sarfaraz — will also be in the team. Although the 21-year-old cricketer’s feature in the match is uncertain, his presence in the squad, especially for Mumbai’s clash, would be important. To stop Shreyas and Musheer from dominating the game, the ‘Paltan’ will turn to Shardul Thakur as their key weapon. The pacer is well aware of Shreyas's batting style and would look to share game plans with his fellow bowlers during the match. It remains to be seen which Mumbaikars emerge dominant on Thursday in the city’s cricketing Kurukshetra — the Wankhede Stadium. IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Full Squads Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma. Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Conolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.
16 April,2026 04:50 PM IST | Mumbai | Sujay ShivalkarIn the IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious by five wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. During the match, RCB's star pacer Josh Hazlewood returned with the figures of one wicket for 20 runs in four overs. Following the performance, he was also named the "Player of the Match". Speaking about his performance, Hazlewood said that he was feeling better. "Felt much better today, in good shape. Got to look at who you are playing against, conditions play a part, slow wicket today, just had to whack that length," he said. He also said that assessing the conditions quickly was the key point for the Royal Challengers in the clash against the Super Giants. "Summing up the conditions as early as we can is a huge plus for us," said Hazlewood. The pacer then revealed that he is working on the slower balls to stay effective in the shortest format of the game. "I'd like to have a few funky deliveries... always working on those slower balls... keep moving forward," said the 35-year-old cricketer. IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum. RCB's Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively. In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side. Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums. LSG's Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs. (With ANI Inputs)
16 April,2026 03:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Mumbai Indians (MI) are all set to clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2026 match on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Ahead of the match, MI's management has named Krish Bhagat as the replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of the league due to injury. Bhagat, who plays for Punjab, is a right-arm pacer and is also handy with the bat. The franchise's official social media handle shared a post, providing an update on Akolekar's replacement. "Mumbai Indians sign Krish Bhagat as a replacement player. Mumbai Indians have named Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026," read the post's caption. 📰 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 💙Mumbai Indians have named Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026. Read more 👉 https://t.co/rsMBu1p0aO… pic.twitter.com/xi4GLZqpcz — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 16, 2026 Additionally, it will be interesting to see if Mumbai's veteran batsman Rohit Sharma manages to make his appearance for the match. Earlier, the right-handed batsman had retired hurt on the score of 19 runs during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, there are speculations that the 38-year-old batsman will likely feature in the match as an Impact Player. The clash will be one to watch out for as the opponent team will be led by Shreyas Iyer, who is well aware of Wankhede's conditions. IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Full Squads Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma. Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Conolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.
16 April,2026 03:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious by five wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. During the match, wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma played an explosive cameo of nine balls. He accumulated 23 runs, laced with two boundaries and the same number of maximums. Speaking after the match, he revealed the team's approach and the players' mindset for the entire tournament. "I think this year we are very smart about the wicket. We are adjusting the wicket. We are tactically working, and I think that's why we are winning all the games at home. I think that shows that we are working smartly and efficiently," he said during the press conference. Further, he specifically spoke about Bengaluru's batting department. The 32-year-old cricketer said that all the batsmen in the team have decided to attack all the bowlers and teams. "Just dominate the bowlers. That's the mindset we have. Irrelevant of the situation, like today when I went to bat, I know that it's a ball-to-ball game. But as we batsmen have decided how we want to play this year or how we want to approach the game, it's very clear that you can see it. So that's the statement from us. We just want to attack all the bowlers and the teams," said Jitesh. IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum. RCB's Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively. In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side. Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums. LSG's Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs. (With ANI Inputs)
16 April,2026 02:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Kings (LSG), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious by five wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. During the match, RCB's stalwart Virat Kohli came in as an impact player. Facing 34 deliveries, the right-handed batsman scored 49 runs, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum. Later, providing an update on his fitness, the right-handed batsman said he has still not gained 100 per cent. Kohli also said that he would have liked to continue batting and finish the game for his side. "Much better than the last game. I'm still not 100 per cent. My knee was a bit sore in the last game. Even health-wise, I've been under the weather for four or five days now. So, just getting back up to my best. I started well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off. Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well. The pitch slowed down considerably, and I just wanted to keep going in the same manner. But yeah, in the end, should have probably finished that one off as well," he said after the match. IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum. RCB's Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively. In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side. Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums. LSG's Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs. (With ANI Inputs)
16 April,2026 11:38 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) suffered a loss by 43 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. During the match, the DJ in the stadium played the track 'Dosa, idli, sambar, chutney, chutney' when the Super Kings were struggling to chase the target in the second essay of the game. CSK's management has filed a complaint to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the choice of the song played by the DJ, Indian Express reported. The report further stated that an IPL official confirmed the development by saying, "We have received a complaint from CSK and are looking into it". IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings: Match summary Batting first, the hosts posted a total of 250 runs for the loss of three wickets in 20 overs. Opening batsman Phil Salt scored 46 runs in 30 balls, including three boundaries and two maximums. Fellow opening batsman Virat Kohli managed to score 28 runs in 18 balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum. Devdutt Padikkal registered 50 runs in just 29 balls, and smashed five boundaries, two maximums. Skipper Rajat Patidar garnered an unbeaten 48 runs off just 19 deliveries, laced with a boundary and six maximums. Shouldering him was burly batsman Tim David, who smashed an unbeaten 70 runs in 25 balls. During his knock, he smashed three boundaries and eight maximums. CSK's Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, and Shivam Dube bagged one wicket each. In an attempt to chase a target of 251 runs, the Super Kings were bowled out for 207 runs in 19.4 overs. Sarfaraz Khan managed to smash a half-century. Facing 25 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 50 runs, including eight boundaries and two maximums. Later, Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton scored 43 and 37 runs, respectively. RCB's Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with the figures of three wickets for 41 runs in four overs. Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh, and Krunal Pandya bagged two wickets each. Impact Player, Suyash Sharma, also chipped in with one wicket. With this, the Royal Challengers registered a victory by 43 runs against the Super Kings.
16 April,2026 11:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThough Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are on equal terms in their head-to-head record, with both teams winning 17 of their 34 games, the visitors hold a slight advantage ahead of tonight’s IPL-19 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. The Hardik Pandya-led five-time champions are struggling to find the right combination, having lost their last three games. The hosts are placed ninth on the points table with just one win. In contrast, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab outfit are yet to taste defeat this season, winning three games while one was washed out.MI have a few major issues to address, the most important being the availability of opener Rohit Sharma, who has scored 137 runs in four matches so far. Rohit was present at the Wankhede on Wednesday evening and spent considerable time doing light running and stretching, even sharing some light moments with MI’s support staff. He also batted in the nets for around 20 minutes, taking throwdowns and playing a few lofted shots. Ahead of MI batter Naman Dhir’s pre-match press conference, the team management clarified that their medical team and coaching staff are assessing Rohit’s fitness. The attacking batter had retired hurt on 19 due to a hamstring injury in the previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, but looks set to feature as an Impact Substitute today. MI will also hope their other top-order batters step up, with the inconsistent Suryakumar Yadav (106 runs in four games) and out-of-form Tilak Varma (35 in four matches) needing to shoulder more responsibility. But the biggest concern for the hosts is their bowling unit’s inability to take wickets and restrict run flow. In four games, MI’s bowlers have managed just 15 wickets with pacer Jasprit Bumrah still awaiting his first dismissal of the season. “We have done well with the bat in the Powerplays, considering the conditions. Bowling-wise, if you say we haven’t taken wickets, then yes, that is a small concern. But [Trent] Boult, Bumrah, Deepak Chahar are all quality bowlers and can win us matches anytime,” Dhir told reporters. 6013Total runs scored by Rohit Sharma for MI — he becomes the first MI player to cross the 6000-run mark 45.66Rohit Sharma’s average this season; the opener has scored 137 runs in four matches 11.19Run rate at which MI bowlers have conceded runs in the first four games this season 11.44Run rate at Wankhede this season; teams have scored 906 runs in 79.1 overs across two games 17No. of matches won each by MI and Punjab Kings against each other in the IPL; both have played 34 games
16 April,2026 10:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureADVERTISEMENT
