Mumbai Indians crashed out of the Indian Premier League playoffs after they lost their Qualifier 2 encounter against the Punjab Kings, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Last night's defeat was the fifth time the Mumbai side crashed out of the IPL after making it to the playoffs, and one can't help but feel a sense of Déjà Vu in their exit.
Prior to Sunday's match against PBKS, MI had made it to the IPL playoffs on 10 occasions and progressed to the final six times, winning five titles in the process.
However, on the four occasions they did not make it to the final, there was a common trait that repeated in IPL 2025.
Whenever MI finished outside of the top two and made it to the playoffs, they have never reached an IPL final.
In IPL 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2023, the Mumbai franchise finished either third or fourth in the standings.
They repeated the pattern in IPL 2025 as they finished fourth in the table behind Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the Gujarat Titans.
In those seasons, the five-time champions have crashed out in the Eliminator stage on two occasions, while they reached the Qualifier 2 the other two times.
So, how did MI perform in each of those seasons?
The Mumbai side had yet to win an IPL title, and they had finished runners-up to Chennai Super Kings in the previous season.
In IPL 2011, MI finished third with 18 points from 14 matches, behind RCB and eventual champions CSK, while they had two more points than KKR, who finished fourth.
They met KKR at the Wankhede Stadium in the Eliminator and won by 4 wickets and 4 balls to spare chasing 148.
MI met RCB next in Qualifier 2, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and lost as the Bengaluru side ran out 43-run winners.
MI finished third again in the standings, with 20 points from 16 matches, behind Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and KKR, and ahead of CSK.
They met CSK in the Eliminator match at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium and lost to the eventual champions, as they could muster only 149/9 in their chase of 188.
MI qualified for the playoffs just by the skin of their teeth after they finished fourth, with 14 points, and ahead of Rajasthan Royals owing to a better net run rate.
They met third-placed CSK at the Braboune Stadium for the Eliminator match, but the Chennai franchise did yet another number on them, winning the game by 7 wickets and 8 balls to spare.
KKR went on to win their first title by beating the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the final. The Kolkata side won a thriller at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, chasing 200 with 3 wickets and 3 balls to spare.
Another elimination in the Qualifier 2 match for MI, this time against the Gujarat Titans.
MI finished fourth in the table with 16 points behind GT, CSK, and LSG and met the Lucknow side in the Eliminator encounter.
They brushed aside LSG by 81 runs at MA Chidambaram Stadium and set up a Qualifier date against GT at the latter's stomping ground, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The home side batted first and put on a mammoth 233/3 thanks to a sensational ton by Shubman Gill (129 of 60).
MI crumbled in response, as they were bowled out for 171 as GT ran out winners by 62 runs.
CSK went on to win the title in a thrilling tie at the same venue, as Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and a four to win the Chennai side their fifth IPL title.
As MI ends its 2025 campaign with a disappointing loss to PBKS, they can't help but feel a sense of Déjà Vu in their exit from the IPL playoffs.
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