Mumbai, May 24: In an exciting clash of IPL 2026, the Mumbai Indians (MI) face off against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. MI captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first.
After winning the toss, Hardik stated, “We will bowl first. The pitch looks good, and it tends to improve as the evening progresses. Today is a very special day. Overall, the Reliance Foundation has helped 2.9 million people and made a significant impact. We just want to perform our best and give them a chance to enjoy this moment. This match means a lot to our team. We want to give it our all. This season has been quite challenging for us, and we want to end it on a high note. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, and Deepak Chahar is in the team.”
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag commented, “We would have opted to bowl first as well. We know this could be the last match of the tournament, and we want to put forth our best effort. We hope to capitalize on our opportunities and showcase our best game. If we win, we will qualify without needing help from others. The team has made three changes. I, Nandre Burger, and Jadeja are back in the playing eleven.”
This match is crucial for RR. With 14 points from 13 matches, if Riyan Parag’s Rajasthan Royals win today, they will advance to the playoffs with 16 points, securing the fourth position. However, a loss would end their journey in the tournament. For Mumbai Indians, this match holds less significance as they are already out of the playoff race. Nonetheless, the team aims to conclude their campaign on a high note by winning this final match in front of their fans.
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton (Wicketkeeper), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (Captain), Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, AM Gajanfar, Raghu Sharma.
Rajasthan Royals Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Riyan Parag (Captain), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja, Brijesh Sharma.
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