Mumbai, May 3 (IANS) A struggling Mumbai Indians will face fellow bottom-placed side Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, with both teams desperate to revive their fading playoff hopes.

Placed ninth on the table, MI have managed just two wins from nine matches and come into the contest on the back of three consecutive defeats, including a heavy eight-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings in their recently concluded game. LSG, who sit at the bottom, have also registered two wins but from eight outings, and are reeling from five straight losses, their latest being a Super Over heartbreak against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Mumbai’s campaign has been hampered by inconsistent performances from key players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and skipper Hardik Pandya, whose leadership has also come under scrutiny. The absence of Rohit Sharma due to a hamstring injury has further dented their stability, leaving the side with little margin for error going forward.

Lucknow, led by Rishabh Pant, have struggled primarily due to repeated batting failures despite commendable efforts from their bowlers. In their previous outing, a strong spell by Mohsin Khan went in vain, while a questionable Super Over decision involving Nicholas Pooran proved costly.

Historically, Lucknow have held the upper hand, winning six of the eight encounters between the two sides, including two victories at the Wankhede. With both teams languishing at the bottom, Monday’s clash could prove decisive in determining whether either side can keep their playoff aspirations alive.

When: May 4, Monday, 7:30 PM IST

Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Where to watch: The MI vs LSG match will be broadcast on Star Sports channels, with JioHotstar live-streaming the game.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Shrijith Krishnan (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Keshav Maharaj, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, VS Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan

–IANS

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