The Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals will be geared up for the crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match on Wednesday (May 21). The result of the upcoming clash will be significant in the race for playoffs, with both teams battling for the fourth spot.
A rain threat ahead of the match has added uncertainty, as a washout could change the qualification scenarios. There can be three results of the upcoming clash – MI winning, DC winning, or the match being abandoned. Let’s check their implications in depth.
Current top five teams on the IPL 2025 Points Table
Gujarat Titans (GT) lead with 18 points, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) each have 17 points. Mumbai Indians are next in the line with 14 points, followed by Delhi Capitals with 13 points.
Scenario 1: If Mumbai Indians win
If MI win, two points will be added to their tally, bringing them to 16 points. They will seal their berth in the top four. DC, on the other hand, will be eliminated as they will be stuck at 15 points, even if they win their next game against PBKS.
Moreover, a win in their final match against PBKS could push them to 18 points, where they also have a chance to finish in the top two, depending on the results of other teams.
Teams to reach playoffs: GT, RCB, PBKS, MI
Scenario 2: Delhi Capitals win
If DC win, they would get two points, reaching 15 points and keeping their playoff hopes alive. This result will also be favourable Axar Patel-led team, as their qualification will be based on their result of the final game. As they can reach 17 points maximum. And considering DC’s current NRR, they cannot jump to the top two spots.
Even if MI win their final clash, they will reach a maximum of 16 and get eliminated. This scenario would make the race for the fourth spot difficult, with outcomes dependent on the final matches.
Teams to reach playoffs: GT, RCB, PBKS, DC/MI (Depends on final matched results, but DC has an edge)
Scenario 3: Match abandoned due to rain
If the match gets abandoned due to rain, each team will be awarded one point. If this happens, MI will reach 15 points and DC will get 14. MI would retain an edge for the fourth spot, with one more match remaining.
If the match gets washed out, then DC will want to win their next match and hope for MI to lose their final game in order to reach 16 points and surpass the Hardik Pandya-led squad. Interestingly, both MI and DC have their final league-stage matches against PBKS.
In this scenario MI can reach the top two with a strong NRR, provided that at least two teams lose both their matches. On the other hand, if DC qualify, they will be cemented in the fourth spot with 16 points.
Teams to reach playoffs: GT, RCB, PBKS, MI/DC (Depends on final matched results, but MI has an edge)
