Mumbai Indians faced a strong Punjab Kings and were handed a seven-wicket defeat in Match No. 69 of the IPL 2025 at the iconic Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday. This loss denied MI a top-two finish and booked their spot in the IPL 2025 Eliminator.
Punjab’s chase of 185 was anchored by the half-centuries from Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis, who chased it down with nine balls to spare. The duo stitched a 109-run partnership that dented MI’s chances of sealing a Qualifier 1 spot. As a result, MI ended their league stage campaign with 16 points from 14 matches and are holding the fourth position. However, the big question now is – Who will face the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator?
With the Hardik Pandya-led side now confirmed for the Eliminator, they will have to wait for the result of the final league game of the season between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 27.
Which team will face Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator?
Scenario 1: RCB defeat LSG
If Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Lucknow Super Giants, RCB will jump to 19 points, surpassing Gujarat Titans, who are currently second with 18 points. If RCB manages to win big over LSG, they also have a shot at finishing in the pole position with a superior net run-rate (NRR).
If this happens, RCB will face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, May 29, at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians will take on Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator, scheduled for Friday, May 30 in Mullanpur.
IPL 2025: How can RCB finish in top 2 in the league stage?
Scenario 2: RCB lose to LSG
If Lucknow Super Giants manage to spoil the party and defeat RCB, Gujarat Titans remain second and will play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. This will lead to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru finishing fourth and facing the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.
Why top-two finish is important?
The Eliminator game provides no second chances like those for the teams playing in Qualifier 1. The winner stays in the race for the IPL 2025 title, while the loser is knocked out. The winner from this match will move on to face the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2.
