ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Defending champions Mumbai Indians failed to reach the Indian Premier League playoffs due to a poor net run rate despite beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs on Friday.
Needing an improbable victory by more than 170 runs to displace Kolkata Knight Riders from the top four in the standings, Mumbai rode on Ishan Kishan’s fastest half-century this season to score 235-9.
Hyderabad looked threatening briefly in its run chase before being restricted at 193-8. Hyderabad finished eighth and last in the standings with only three wins in 14 group matches.
Mumbai and Kolkata both finished with seven wins, but Kolkata edged the five-time champions on net run rate.
Kolkata will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in an eliminator on Monday in Sharjah with only the winner progressing.
Table-topping Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings meet on Sunday in Dubai in the first qualifier. The winner goes to the final, and the loser faces the Kolkata-Bangalore winner.
Bangalore boosted its confidence when Srikar Bharat hit a last-ball six to beat Delhi by six wickets in Dubai.
Bharat, 78 not out, and Glenn Maxwell, 51 not out, combined in an unbeaten century stand to guide Bangalore to 166-3 off the last ball.
Delhi made 164-5 with a great start from Prithvi Shaw, 44, and Shikhar Dhawan, 43.
Needing six off the last ball, Avesh Khan bowled a wide delivery down the leg side which Bharat lofted back over the fast bowler’s head for a straight six, much to the disbelief of his captain Virat Kohli.
“Unbelievable,” Kohli said. “It was a game where we had nothing to lose, but still to lose early wickets and do well against a team at the top of the table is good. We’ve beaten them twice this season.”
Kishan gave Mumbai hope when he raised fifty off 16 balls. He went on to score 84 off 32 balls with 11 fours and four sixes before he was caught behind in the 10th over.
Mumbai kept on accelerating through Suryakumar Yadav’s blistering 82 off 40 balls to post a hefty total.
West Indian Jason Holder grabbed 4-52 and Rashid Khan took 2-40 for Hyderabad while Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi became the first player in IPL history to take five catches in a match.
Hyderabad’s chase of 236 got a good start from Jason Roy (34) and Abhishek Sharma (33) in a stand of 64 off 32 balls. But once they were dismissed, only Manish Pandey managed sustained resistance with an unbeaten 69 off 41 balls.
Mumbai fails to reach IPL playoffs due to poor net run rate
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Mumbai fails to reach IPL playoffs due to poor net run rate
- Mumbai and Kolkata both finished with seven wins, but Kolkata edged the five-time champions on net run rate
Top Saudi teams set for ESL Saudi Challenge 2026 finals
- Leading esports teams feature in competition
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s leading esports teams will go head-to-head later this week as the ESL Saudi Challenge 2026 reaches its decisive stages, underlining the Kingdom’s growing ambition to develop local talent and strengthen its professional gaming ecosystem.
Organized by ESL FACEIT Group, the tournament is designed to provide Saudi players with a clear pathway into elite-level competition while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for gaming and esports.
The online phase of the Overwatch 2 competition took place on Jan. 23-24, with the action set to culminate in a live LAN final on Jan. 30 at EFG Studios in Riyadh.
The competition features a total prize pool of $20,000, offering a significant incentive for emerging Saudi esports talent and reflecting the rising professionalism of the Kingdom’s national scene.
The lineup for the second stage has now been confirmed, blending established names with ambitious newcomers. Defending champions Twisted Minds return to defend their title against Kurohana, Newgens, and Lunar Crew, who secured their places through the qualification rounds. With only three teams progressing to the finals, the stakes remain high on the national stage.
Franck Guignery, senior vice president and managing director for the Middle East and Africa at EFG, said: “The ESL Saudi Challenge represents an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to the Saudi esports community.
“Through this competition we aim to empower Saudi players to refine their skills and demonstrate their potential within a high-stakes, professional environment, while contributing meaningfully to the development of a sustainable ecosystem that enables local talent to progress from national competition to global stages.”
The ESL Saudi Challenge aligns with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy, supporting talent development and the long-term growth of the Kingdom’s gaming and esports sector.
Positioned as a Saudi-focused competitive platform, the tournament forms part of EFG’s long-term approach to reinforcing professional standards, enabling talent progression, and fostering community-driven competition.
Through initiatives such as the ESL Saudi Challenge, EFG aims to ensure that Saudi esports talent is equipped to compete successfully not only at home, but also on regional and international stages.
