Mumbai Indians Face Historic Struggles in IPL 2024
Mumbai Indians' Disappointing Season
The Mumbai Indians (MI) have reached an all-time low following their two-wicket loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on May 10 at the Shaheed Veer International Stadium in Raipur. This defeat has officially eliminated MI from playoff contention, leaving them with no mathematical chance of advancing. Currently, they sit in 9th place on the leaderboard, having accumulated only 6 points from 11 matches, with just three wins to their name this season.
MI began the season positively, securing a victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their opening match, marking their first season start win since 2012. However, their performance has since deteriorated, suffering three consecutive losses, with only brief victories against the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) interrupting the streak.
Long Title Drought for Mumbai Indians
This latest result signifies that MI has now gone six seasons without claiming an IPL title, the longest drought in the franchise's history. Previously, their longest gap without winning was five seasons, which occurred before their first championship in 2013. From 2013 to 2020, MI dominated the league, winning five titles under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, never going more than a year without lifting the trophy, including back-to-back victories in 2019 and 2020. Since then, they have not even reached the finals, a stark contrast to their earlier record of consistently competing for the championship.
Mumbai Indians' Performance Over the Years
| Year | Finishing Spot |
| 2008 | 5th |
| 2009 | 7th |
| 2010 | Runners-Up |
| 2011 | Lost Qualifier 2 |
| 2012 | Lost Eliminator |
| 2013 | Winners |
| 2014 | Lost Eliminator |
| 2015 | Winners |
| 2016 | 5th |
| 2017 | Winners |
| 2018 | 5th |
| 2019 | Winners |
| 2020 | Winners |
| 2021 | 5th |
| 2022 | 10th |
| 2023 | Lost Qualifier 2 |
| 2024 | 10th |
| 2025 | Lost Qualifier 2 |
| 2016 | TBD |
Currently, MI is tied on points with LSG, who are just below them in the standings. The team is in danger of finishing 10th for the third time in five years. Historically, the franchise had never finished at the bottom before the 2022 season. Despite the ongoing struggles, MI has maintained a record of not going more than two seasons without reaching the playoffs. To avoid their worst season in terms of wins, they must secure at least one victory in their remaining three matches against the Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals, all of whom are vying for playoff spots.