IPL 2022 | Mumbai Indians officially knocked out

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have become the first side to get eliminated from the 15th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Rohit Sharma-led unit was officially eliminated from the playoffs race following a thrilling win by Rajasthan Royals against the Punjab Kings on Saturday evening.

They may have been officially eliminated from the competition today, but in reality, the former champions were never in it.

From their season opener against Delhi Capitals, where their lacklustre bowling unit snatched a defeat from the jaws of a victory, absolutely nothing has gone right for the perennial powerhouse this season.

With every game, their facilities in the batting and, especially, their fast-bowling department kept on getting exposed. And, so, it was no surprise that they registered eight consecutive defeats in a row.

Mumbai's season can be summed up by the fact that while they have lost comprehensively, the two wins they have managed have come from the jaws of defeat.

Their latest fixture against the Gujarat Titans is an apt example. For the better part of 39 overs, they were behind the eight-ball, and it took incredible final over heroics from Daniel Sams to get them past the finishing line.

Mumbai's problems have been accentuated by the fact that none of their senior players- Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah- and their most expensive acquisition, Ishan Kishan, have stepped up to the party.

That said, it's not all doom and gloom for the former winners. The likes of Tilak Varma, Dewald Brevis and Tim David have given enough evidence that, if given a chance, they will be the spearheads of the franchise in the upcoming seasons.

The next four games for Mumbai will be all about trying out new combinations and stitching some victories to salvage lost pride.

They have won two games in a row and will look to make it three-in-three in their next fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders on May 09.