MI vs PBKS IPL 2026: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss tonight at Wankhede Stadium and opted to bowl first against Mumbai Indians in Match 24 of IPL 2026. Iyer pointed to the dry pitch and expected dew as the main reasons for the decision, while Hardik Pandya admitted MI would have liked to bowl first as well.
The two sides come into this game with very different momentum. MI have won just one of their first four games, while Punjab Kings are currently the only unbeaten team in the tournament. The big talking point, however, is a major gap at the top of the MI order.
Rohit Sharma is out after picking up a hamstring injury during Mumbai’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, April 12. The MI camp kept things quiet leading up to tonight, but the five-time champions now face a massive challenge without their most in-form batsman.
MI vs PBKS IPL 2026: The hamstring blow that changed the script for Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt in the sixth over against RCB after feeling his hamstring pull, leaving the field with 19 off 13 balls. It was a tough break for MI; they were chasing 241, and Rohit was looking sharp alongside Ryan Rickelton before the injury. Even with Sherfane Rutherford smashing 71 off 31, MI couldn’t pull off the chase and slumped to their third straight loss. Scans after the match offered some good news, showing no signs of a tear, but his fitness remained a major question mark.
The silence from MI management over the last few days was a sign in itself. Rohit Sharma sat out training on Tuesday and was seen on Wednesday with his right leg heavily strapped, skipping the batting session entirely. When asked for an update, a team official would only say the medical staff was still assessing the situation. According to Cricbuzz, the injury was serious enough that playing tonight was never a realistic option, and he may be sidelined for a week or two depending on his recovery.
Rohit’s 2026 stats show just how much he’ll be missed
Before the injury setback, Rohit was having a flying start to the season. With scores of 78, 35, 5, and 19, he was giving the Mumbai Indians the kind of explosive starts that change games. Even with the early exit against RCB, he is still Mumbai’s top scorer this season, racking up 137 runs at a strike rate of 165.06. His standout performance came in the opener against KKR, where a 38-ball 78 helped MI break their 13-year opening match jinx. During that same innings, he also became the first player to reach 6,000 runs for Mumbai Indians.
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The challenge for MI tonight
Losing Rohit forced a reshuffle at the top, with Quinton de Kock opening with Ryan Rickelton. However, bringing in de Kock uses up an overseas slot, which could leave the middle order or the bowling attack looking a bit thin. However, de Kock has already hit a half-century.
At 38, muscle injuries take more time to heal, and Mumbai Indians are clearly playing it safe rather than risking a long-term layoff for their veteran star. With the team sitting eighth on the table and having only two points, the rest of the batting unit is under massive pressure to step up tonight without their leading run-getter.
