Teams ranked 6th to 10th on the points table have already been eliminated from the tournament, while the top three have secured their spots in the playoffs. Eight matches remain in the IPL league stage, but except for three, the rest are largely formalities or about saving face.
These three key matches could determine the final playoff spot and the fate of the teams still in contention. One of those crucial matches is happening today, where Delhi Capitals will take on Mumbai Indians. If Mumbai wins this game, the suspense ends—they qualify for the playoffs, and Axar Patel’s Delhi Capitals are knocked out.
However, all eyes from Bangladesh are on Delhi. That’s because Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman has finally gotten a chance late in the tournament, playing one match so far for the Capitals. Naturally, Bangladeshi fans are hoping to see Mustafizur smiling in victory—but that’s easier said than done.
Defeating Mumbai on their home turf is a tough task. But there’s an even bigger hurdle: the weather. The local meteorological department has forecast thunderstorms with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Mumbai this evening, along with winds reaching speeds of 50–60 km/h. Since the Wankhede Stadium is located near the Arabian Sea, there’s a strong chance the match will be affected by the storm.
If rain washes out the match, the teams will share points. In that case, Mumbai will move to 15 points after 13 games, while Delhi will have 14. Coincidentally, both teams play Punjab Kings in their final league match. For Delhi to qualify, they must beat Punjab and hope Mumbai loses to them. That would take Delhi to 16 points and eliminate Mumbai with 15.
But if today’s match does go ahead, Delhi must win to stay in contention for the playoffs. The equation is simple but tough: they have to win both of their remaining matches. Even if they lose today, a playoff spot isn’t entirely out of reach—they must beat Punjab and hope Mumbai loses, and then rely on net run rate to swing in their favor.
