MI vs RCB Match 20 Review: Is Mumbai Losing Control of IPL 2026?

Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 campaign is getting more and more worrying. They lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 18 runs at Wankhede. A lot of runs were scored in this match. Over 460. The big concern for MI is not the loss but how they let the game slip away from them in both innings. RCB scored a 240/4.Mumbai fought hard to catch up. They relied too much on individual performances instead of working together as a team.

 

RCBs Powerplay Attack Changed the Match

The match started going wrong for Mumbai from the beginning. Phil Salt played aggressively. Completely took control of MIs bowlers. His 78 runs gave RCB a start and Mumbai never really caught up. Even after Salt got out Virat Kohli kept the innings steady.Rajat Patidar then accelerated well in the middle overs. Patidars fast half-century made sure RCB kept the momentum going. This was one of those innings where MI bowlers looked like they did not have the answers right, from the start.

 

Mumbai’s Bowling Problems Are Becoming Serious

The biggest worry for Mumbai Indians from this match is clearly their bowling. Conceding 240 runs at Wankhede with bowlers like Bumrah and Boult in the attack raises serious questions. Mumbai Indians' next match will be played against PBKS at Wankhede on April 16. Before that, Mumbai will have to improve their bowling line-up. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, they will have to find other options who can put the opposition on the back foot. If MI has to defend the first 6 overs, then you should start with your best bowler, which is Bumrah. You should make Bumrah bowl the first over and then directly bring in the 6th over, which is the last over of the powerplay. These are the two most important overs, if you can stop the opposition here, your chances will increase further. MI also has the option of Deepak Chahar, although his performance hasn't been particularly impressive. However, he's adept at taking wickets in the powerplay. So, you'll need to reinstate him before too long. Also, since Rohit Sharma is currently injured, you might not see him play against the PBL (though nothing is confirmed yet). If that happens, you'll need to add another overseas player to the opening slot, which could be Quinton de Kock. So, you can replace Trent Boult and give Chahar a chance before the campaign is over for you.

Rutherford Kept Mumbai Alive

Despite the huge target, Mumbai Indians still found a way to stay alive in the chase, and a lot of that credit goes to Sherfane Rutherford. His unbeaten 71 off just 31 balls was full of confidence, timing, and clean power hitting.At one stage, the required run rate looked impossible, but Rutherford’s six-hitting brought MI right back into the game. The Wankhede crowd started believing again, and for a few overs, it genuinely felt like Mumbai could steal a famous chase.This knock is a huge positive for MI because it shows they have finishing strength in the lower middle order.

Too Much Dependence on Individual Brilliance

The biggest issue evident in the Mumbai Indians squad is individual dependence. While Mumbai defeated SRH in their first match, the lack of teamwork has been evident in the remaining three matches. Stability is a problem, sometimes in batting and sometimes in bowling. Until this problem is resolved, MI will continue to struggle.In this match, Rutherford played that role. In other matches, it has been Suryakumar Yadav or Hardik Pandya trying to rescue the team. But for a long tournament like IPL, one player cannot keep saving the side every game.Mumbai need stronger partnerships in the middle overs and better support from the top order. Without that, these big chases will continue to remain just “almost” moments.

Can MI Still Turn Their Season Around?

The good thing for Mumbai Indians is that IPL seasons are long, and this franchise has a history of making strong comebacks after poor starts. The batting lineup still has enough quality to win games from difficult situations.But the bowling needs urgent fixing. Better combinations, improved middle-over discipline, and support for Bumrah are now must-haves. If MI can solve these issues quickly, they still have enough firepower to push for the playoffs.The next few matches could define whether Mumbai are still in the race or slowly losing control of IPL 2026.