Mumbai Indians have had a very torrid time in IPL 2022. The five-time champions did start off with a lot of promise but now, they have slumped to five consecutive defeats, something which has seriously endangered their chances of making it to the playoffs. Still without a win, Mumbai Indians find themselves at the very bottom of the pile on the IPL 2022 points table with a negative net run rate (-1.072). They have had glimpses of individual brilliance but just have not been able to get over the line. So, will they qualify if they lose against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, April 16? Suryakumar Yadav Shares Message for Mumbai Indians Team Ahead of IPL 2022 Clash Against Lucknow Super Giants (Watch Video)

Well, a loss is something they would seriously want to avoid at all costs but if they face a defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in their next game, then things would turn into pretty much of a must-win situation for them. For the unversed, a team needs a minimum of 16 points to qualify for the playoffs. Mumbai, with nine games remaining, can get a maximum of 18 if they win all the matches including this game against Lucknow, something which is a difficult task. If they lose to Lucknow Super Giants, then they will need to win all their remaining eight games to be in contention for a playoff berth in the competition.

A loss to Lucknow Super Giants would thus have Mumbai Indians packed into a corner, needing to win all their games to stay alive in the competition. They are seriously on the verge of failing to make it to the top four for a second consecutive season. The franchise has been in tough spots like this before and their fans will hope that they win at the end of the day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2022 12:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).