IPL 2025 Preview: Playoffs At Stake As MI Host DC In High-Stakes Clash At Wankhede

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Last Updated:May 20, 2025, 21:44 IST

Mumbai Indians volition instrumentality connected Delhi Capitals successful a perchance decisive IPL showdown with the last spot successful the playoffs astatine stake.

Mumbai Indians instrumentality connected Delhi Capitals astatine the Wankhede Stadium successful Mumbai connected May 21, 2025. (Image: Sportzpics)

Fighting for the lone disposable play-off spot, Mumbai Indians volition instrumentality connected Delhi Capitals successful a perchance decisive IPL showdown present connected Wednesday with the five-time champion location squad better-placed to beforehand against the erratic visitors.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s six-wicket thrashing of Lucknow Super Giants connected Monday ended the latter’s chances of making the last four, leaving Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to combat it out. Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers person taken the archetypal 3 knockout signifier spots.

Both Mumbai Indians (14 points) and Delhi Capitals (13 points) are successful power of their destiny for now, but it is the location broadside which starts favourite astatine the Wankhede Stadium.

While MI’s triumph volition instrumentality them to 16 points and beyond the scope of the Axar Patel-led side, Delhi Capitals request to triumph some their remaining contests, the past being against Punjab Kings, to sail through.

However, the contention could beryllium impacted by thunderstorm and rainfall arsenic India Meteorological Department connected Tuesday issued a forecast and informing for Mumbai and surrounding areas.

“Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, dense rainfall and gutsy winds (50-60) astatine isolated places," the IMD said.

In lawsuit of a washout, the teams volition stock a constituent each.

Mumbai Indians’ signifier and all-round extent tilt the standard successful their favour adjacent though they are coming disconnected a constrictive nonaccomplishment to Gujarat Titans astir a fortnight ago. This was aft signaling six consecutive wins anterior to look arsenic 1 of the astir formidable teams successful the competition.

While a triumph volition transportation MI into the playoffs, a decision volition permission their destiny connected the result of the contention betwixt DC and PBKS connected May 24, and frankincense the Mahela Jayawardene-coached broadside volition beryllium anxious to enactment its champion ft forward.

Mumbai superstar Rohit Sharma volition beryllium the cynosure of each eyes arsenic this volition beryllium his archetypal crippled since announcing his status from Test cricket. The seasoned batter would beryllium other motivated to occurrence connected each cylinders and transportation his squad through.

MI would besides privation to marque the astir of their existent combination, which features Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch successful their playing XI with salient roles. The 2 South Africans volition permission for nationalist work earlier the playoffs, which would beryllium a headache for different day.

Suryakumar Yadav volition look to transportation connected with his premier signifier with the bat, but MI would request Tilak Varma to rediscover his mojo. The left-handed batter has gone done a quiescent signifier with the bat which includes 3 outings for single-digit scores successful his past 5 matches.

The interruption would person fixed accelerated bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult successful particular, immoderate other clip to remainder and retrieve but it besides saw Delhi Capitals’ ace pacer Mitchell Starc (14 wickets) deciding against joining his IPL side.

Starc’s lack is simply a immense void for immoderate broadside to fill. With the contention being a do-or-die matter without the Australian speedster, who has successful the past exploited conditions present astatine the Wankhede Stadium with the achromatic shot effectively, DC volition person to find different ways to succeed.

A batch hinges connected KL Rahul’s (493 runs) performance, who struck a valiant period against Gujarat Titans but ended connected the incorrect broadside of a 10-wicket hammering. It exposed Delhi Capitals’ frailties with the shot adjacent though Starc’s replacement, Mustafizur Rahman, returned a choky spell.

DC began the IPL with 5 wins successful the archetypal six matches, but wheels person travel disconnected their faltering campaign. Kuldeep Yadav (12 wickets) has provided power from 1 end, but this play has mostly been a disappointing 1 for skipper Patel, whose 263 runs and 5 wickets truthful acold bash not animate overmuch assurance either.

Teams (from):

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Shrijith Krishnan (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Raghu Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, VS Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (c), Mustafizur Rahman, Abhishek Porel (wk), Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Tristan Stubbs (wk), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Sameer Rizvi, Darshan Nalkande, Tripurana Vijay, Dushmantha Chameera, Faf du Plessis, T Natarajan, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Manvanth Kumar L, Madhav Tiwari.

Match starts astatine 7:30pm IST.

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News cricket IPL 2025 Preview: Playoffs At Stake As MI Host DC In High-Stakes Clash At Wankhede