IPL 2021: Time Running Out For Mumbai Indians To Qualify For Play-Offs

Cricket Image for IPL 2021: Time Running Out For Mumbai Indians To Qualify For Play-Offs (Image Source: Google)

In IPL 2020, Mumbai Indians were a force to reckon with on their way to grabbing their fifth IPL title in the UAE. A year later, Rohit Sharma and Co find themselves on a tricky pitch.

Mumbai were fourth on the points table of IPL 2021 when the season was halted in May due to the second wave of COVID-19 breaching through bio-bubbles. Their return to the UAE, a place with happy memories, was expected to elevate them higher on the table.

But six days into the tournament in the UAE, Mumbai have been far from convincing. They have slipped to losses in consecutive matches, first to Chennai Super Kings and then to Kolkata Knight Riders. The defeats mean that Mumbai are currently sitting at sixth place in the points table of IPL 2021 with just four wins out of nine matches.

On Thursday against Kolkata, Mumbai's problems were exposed yet again. Their explosive middle-order, something which has played a big role in their success, has been off-colour. When Sunil Narine had captain Rohit Sharma caught out, Mumbai were 78/1 in 9.2 overs. From there, all went downhill for Mumbai.

Suryakumar Yadav's struggles continued with him falling for 5. Quinton de Kock, who blazed through power-play, slowed down in middle-overs. Thanks to Kolkata spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine combining to concede just 42 runs in eight overs, de Kock fell due to the pressure caused by lack of runs. The rest of the order fell in quick succession to end at a below-par 155/6.

Ishan Kishan, who was the highest run-scorer for Mumbai last year, has been enduring a lean run along with Krunal Pandya. With no Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard has been playing a lone decent hand in finishing duties.

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