Mumbai Indians - the five-time IPL champions - have had an underwhelming start to the 2024 edition, their defeat against LSG in Lucknow on Tuesday leaving them with six points from their first 10 matches.

Remarkably though, they still have a chance to finish in the top-four if they stage a quick turnaround, much like they have done historically (in 2014 and 2015).

vs KKR, May 3 (Home)

vs SRH, May 6 (Home)

vs KKR, May 11 (Away)

vs LSG, May 17 (Home)

MI can make it to the playoffs if they win each of their remaining matches, while hoping for other results go their way. They can, in-fact do it without the net run-rate (NRR) coming into the picture, provided at least two teams run away with wins towards the top-two positions, stiffening the mid-table tussle.

In an ideal case scenario, MI would want RR to win all or at least four of their remaining matches and one of KKR, SRH, CSK or LSG to run away towards top-two. If RR win four and lose to KKR, with the latter also defeating LSG and GT, it will leave RR at 22 points and KKR at 18. The winner of LSG vs SRH should then lose their remaining matches, with the other too staying at 12 (or lower in SRH's case).

Similarly, other results involving CSK and the teams in the bottom half currently should be in their favour, leaving six teams with 12 points or fewer.

To elaborate the above scenario, let's assume MI win all four and LSG beat SRH in Hyderabad in March 57, with RR and KKR proceeding as mentioned earlier. In that case, MI would want LSG to lose their other three matches, CSK and PBKS to split their upcoming head-to-head games to 1-1 and CSK to go down in their other matches, while PBKS managing no more than two wins from their other remaining three games. If other results involving GT, DC and RCB go their way similarly, MI could finish with 14 points, tied with LSG with NRR separating the two at No.3 and No.4.

Hence, MI can make it with three wins too, provided their NRR stays above the other teams in case of a 12-points each tie. In that case, their lone defeat should ideally come against SRH or LSG, given KKR are already at 12 with a strong NRR +1.096 and are slated to play the latter. That however, would be a too tall an ask, given it currently stands at -0.272, bettered by six other teams.

Much like MI, RCB, with back-to-back wins against SRH and GT too, are still in the hunt. LSG, meanwhile, are well placed with 12 points and four matches to go.