Believe! Believe! BELIEVE! We’ve ridden this wave. 2023 IPL play-offs stage, HERE WE COME! The road to the knockouts was not easy, be it calculating the various possibilities, calculations, saying prayers, or the hard-fought results along the 14-game league phase.

BELIEVE! This word has been deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of our boys in Blue and Gold as they confidently chased down 200 for the fourth time, third at the Wankhede Stadium - our majestic fortress. ALL IN ONE SEASON.

BELIEVE! The eight-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad kept us close to a 10th Tata IPL play-off in 14 years. The wait was precious but was worth it, as Gujarat Titans’ victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore rubberstamped our participation in the next round.

BELIEVE! If someone asks how the play-offs are our favourite hunting ground, just tell them: Nine play-offs, FIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS. That is enough to arouse a sense of fear in the opposition fans, doesn’t it, Paltan?

While the team re-groups back to the drawing table to discuss new strategies, new objectives, and new key battles for the Eliminator showdown against LSG, we revisit our past performances in the knockouts. Read on…

2010 | Runners up - Orange Cap to Tendulkar, but a heartbreak in the final

Semi-final: The 2010 IPL season marked the start of MI’s run of six consecutive IPL play-offs. 2010 wasn’t a play-off though, it was a proper semi-final. Led by Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai Indians first took on RCB. Restricted to 77/4 within 9.3 overs, we rallied to notch 184/5 thanks to spirited innings from Ambati Rayudu (40), Saurabh Tiwary (52*) and Kieron Pollard (33). Polly, who would earn the moniker LLord in the future for his all-round abilities, ripped into the RCB batting order with his spell of 3/17 to power us into our maiden IPL final.

Final: Quite the start of the El Clasico. CSK were waiting. In positive spirits, we entered the 2010 IPL final and were told to bowl first. Dilhara Fernando’s two-fer could only be a tiny thorn in the flesh for CSK, who posted a strong 168/5. Tendulkar’s 48, and Pollard’s blitz at the end wasn’t to be enough and we fell 22 runs short of a win. It was a proper thriller, but alas, we were on the wrong side of it.

2011 and 2012 | Eliminated in play-offs - Nemesis CSK at it again

Under the captaincies of Sachin Tendulkar (2011) and Harbhajan Singh (2012), Mumbai Indians finished third in the league stages and would qualify for the newly instituted playoffs.

In the 2011 edition, MI faced Kolkata Knight Riders in the Eliminator and RCB in Qualifier 2. Following the impressive swing bowling of Munaf Patel (3/27) to earn a target of 148, Aiden Blizzard ran riot with 51 off 30 balls to see off a four-wicket victory for Mumbai. Against Bangalore, however, MI could score just 142/8 and walk away with a defeat.

Our stay in the 2012 play-off round was short-lived. Finalists in 2010, it was MI vs CSK in the Eliminator. MSD’s unbeaten 51 pushed CSK to 187/5. Among the MI bowlers, Dhawal Kulkarni was the most impressive (3/46). In response, we managed 149/9 and Dwayne Smith top-scored with 33. Back-to-back so-close-yet-so-far moments!

2013 | Champions - MI-racle at last!

Qualifier 1: Our play-off affair with Chennai Super Kings continued in the 2013 edition, facing them in Qualifier 1 and the Final. In Qualifier 1 but fell short of the target by 48 runs. Chasing 193, Mumbai were bowled out for 144 in 18.4 overs. Dwayne Smith (68) was our only impactful player in the fixture.

Qualifier 2: The following day, against Rajasthan Royals, Smith smashed another half-ton. But this time, it was joyful as it helped MI chase 166 with one ball to spare. Harbhajan Singh played a cameo with 3/23, a clear sign that something was different this year.

Final: The ghosts of the 2010 IPL final were finally put to rest, as MI withstood the onslaughts from CSK’s Dwayne Bravo (4/42) and MS Dhoni (63 not out) to defend 148 in 20 overs. Who was the Player of the Match? Any guesses? Yes, Kieron LLord Pollard, who smashed a 60 not out in 32 balls and registered 1/34. The El Clasico fate was reversed.

2014 | Eliminated in the play-off - That Tare-six to qualify, but the juggernaut stops

Eliminator: Chennai Super Kings got one back again on us when the teams clashed in the Eliminator. Lendl Simmons’ 76-run partnership with Michael Hussey (opening wicket) and 44 runs for the third wicket with Rohit Sharma paved the way for MI to score 173/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Suresh Raina’s unbeaten 54 and David Hussey’s 40 not out helped Chennai chase 174 in 18.4 overs after Dwayne Smith (34) and Faf du Plessis (24) stitched a 60-run opening stand. But this was a season that’s forever going to be remembered for the way we entered the playoffs: stealing the game right under RR’s nose.

2015 | Champions - It's 2013 2.0 vs CSK

What doesn’t kill makes you stronger! And that underlines the commitment of the 2015 MI team that won our second IPL championship. What happened in the playoffs? A 2-0 sweep against CSK in Qualifier 1 (25 runs) and 2015 IPL final (41 runs).

Qualifier 1: Aside from Dwayne Bravo (3/40), the West Indian pairing of Lendl Simmons (65) and Kieron Pollard (41) toyed with the Chennai Super Kings bowlers as MI hit 187/6 in the first innings of Qualifier 1. Lasith Malinga’s 3/23 derailed the CSK chase as they were 25 runs short of the target.

Final: As in the Qualifier, Lendl Simmons top-scored again for Mumbai Indians with 68 runs off 45 balls. Skipper Rohit Sharma played a vital cameo with a half-century to take the Blue and Gold past 200 in 20 overs. Taking a cue from the batters, pacers Malinga (3/25) and Mitchell McClenaghan (2/25) removed the ball bearing of CSK’s batting and had MSD’s men restricted to just 161/8.

2017 | Champions - A Tale of Drama and Spice. Save your nails!

Qualifier 1: MI vs MS Dhoni in the playoffs continued, albeit with a different team (and a different captain). As was the case in the two meetings in the league stage, our meeting with Rising Pune Supergiant saw us end up on the losing side. Handed a 163-run target, we managed just 142/9 as Shardul Thakur (3/37) and Washington Sundar (3/17) were significant roadblocks in our scoring prowess.

Qualifier 2: Our journey didn’t stop there. We took on KKR and outsmarted them in one of our most confident playoff games in the competition. Karn Sharma (4/16) and Boom Boom Bumrah (3/7) floored the Kolkata batting (107 all out in 18.5 overs), and our batting - led by Krunal Pandya (45 not out) wrapped up the fixture in 14.3 overs.

Final: A ONE RUN VICTORY. An early collapse, a solid recovery from Krunal Pandya, and just about something to fight for in our total of 129. With RPS needing 33 runs in the last four overs, MI’s bowling unit kept the game tight before defending 11 runs in the final. Back-to-back wickets and a boundary on the first three balls of Mitch Johnson kept the crowd guessing what would happen next. A run-out on the game's final ball, four runs saved, and a third IPL trophy in the bag; If this isn’t a tale of drama, then what is?

2019 | Champions - Lasith Malinga and that slower-dipping Yorker

The third edition of MI vs CSK in IPL playoffs was a pure course meal with all the suitable Mumbai delicacies.

Qualifier 1: Mumbai’s spinners, led by Rahul Chahar (2/14), put the brakes on the CSK Express, which was on course to score over 150-170. When it was time for MI to serve, Suryakumar Yadav made up for the early departures of Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock with his 54-ball 71 laced with ten boundary fours. Target? 132. Achieved in? 18.3 overs. Round 1: Winner - Mumbai Indians.

Final: Let’s just put it out here. That was a tasting round, as the main feast was yet to come in the IPL 2019 final. Batting first, MI hit 149/8, with Kieron Pollard standing tall with an unbeaten 41 from 25 balls. Stepping out to defend 150, we had to scratch our heads to find ways to stop Shane Watson’s determination at the crease, who took the game to 141/5 in 19 overs. And who do we turn to? Slingaa Malinga. The equation came to five off three after conceding four runs off the first three deliveries. A yorker just outside off allowed Watson to complete a single, but the desire for another run cost him his wicket. Suddenly, the Yellow Army was subdued by a wave of Gold and Blue in Hyderabad. The icing on the cake? A smooth slow yorker that meant the inevitable: LBW.

2020 | Champions - A five-star memory!

Qualifier 1: Delhi Capitals were the opponents of Ro-Hit Sharma and his troops. Pocket Dynamo Ishan (55*) and Aapla Dada Surya (51) were the leading baritones of MI’s 200/5 team score in Qualifier 1 while successfully solving the bowling puzzle given by Ravichandran Ashwin (3/29). Jasprit Bumrah’s 4/14 kept the Delhi batters in check, with the opponents managing just 143/8.

Final: Five days later, the teams reconvened. Roles were reversed, with Delhi batting first and Mumbai chasing. DC plotted 156/7 in 20 overs thanks to half-tons from Shreyas Iyer (65) and Rishabh Pant (56). However, all was not sweet for them initially, as Trent Boult grabbed two opening wickets. MI were set a target of 157, with Hitman leading the charge with 68 runs. Ishan carried the baton from Rohit with his unbeaten 19-ball 33, and NUMBER FIVE WAS OURS!

This is the tenth year of our maiden IPL success! 10th IPL play-off! Ten years of Rohit Sharma as MI captain! The stars are aligned in such a coincident way. Paltan, let’s BELIEVE and brew #6 ..