Mumbai, May 7: After Mumbai Indians' three-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans via the DLS method dropped them to fourth in the standings, former India coach Anil Kumble said MI's playoff chances could get tricky, highlighting that they must win their remaining two matches to secure a knockout spot without depending on other results.

MI, who had a dismal start to their campaign with just one win in the first five games, quickly revived their campaign in style with a six-match unbeaten streak and briefly topped the points table. But their winning march was halted by GT at home on Tuesday, and the defeat has huge implications for their hopes of a top-two finish.

Wins in both their games should seal a berth in the playoffs for MI at 18 points, but that doesn't guarantee them a top-two finish, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings can all go past the 18-point mark. One win can still take MI to the playoffs Offs but will need other results to go their way.

"18 points should secure a playoff spot. GT need to win just one of their remaining three to get there. For Mumbai, they must win both upcoming games. At 16 points, things can get tricky — you don’t want to rely on other teams’ results. From winning six in a row to losing today, MI won’t want to take it to the wire. Winning both games is a must to control their destiny," said Kumble on JioHotstar.

Opting to field first, GT rode on an impressive bowling performance to restrict MI to 155/8 in their 20 overs. Sai Kishore was the standout bowler with two wickets, while Mohammed Siraj, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, and Prasidh Krishna picked up one scalp each.

Later, Shubman Gill (43), Jos Buttler (30), and Sherfane Rutherford (28) played crucial knocks, before rain interrupted play twice, and their revised target was 147 in a 19-over game. With 15 runs needed in the final over, Rahul Tewatia, Gerald Coetzee and Arshad Khan guided GT to a nail-biting win at the Wankhede.

After the pulsating victory, GT reclaimed the top spot in the IPL 2025 points table with 16 points from 11 games.

Sharing his thoughts on Gujarat Titans’ performance and the thrilling final over, Kumble said, "The last over sealed the deal. As a bowler in that situation, your primary thought is not to concede a boundary. With the dew and low bounce, it became even easier for GT.

"When you have two batters who can clear the ropes and a mindset like Coetzee's — he said post-match, ‘see ball, hit ball’ — it’s tough to stop. It was an outstanding game of cricket — after 38 overs, it all came down to that one over. Both teams had to reset multiple times due to interruptions, and in the end, GT held their nerve," said Kumble.

GT will aim to continue their winning streak against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday afternoon in a bid for a top-two finish. MI, meanwhile, will take on the Punjab Kings in the evening.

(IANS)

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