WPL 2026: Why are Mumbai Indians struggling despite having star-studded lineup?

Defending champions Mumbai Indians have won just two matches out of six in WPL 2026 season.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 has been a rollercoaster for the reigning champions, Mumbai Indians Women (MI-W). As two-time winners and the most successful team in the event, MI-W entered the tournament with high expectations, boasting a roster packed with international stars like Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, and Shabnim Ismail.

However, halfway through the league stage, their campaign has been anything but dominant. MI-W have won just two matches out of six, suffering four losses that has left their hopes of defending their crown in complete jeopardy. This underwhelming performance is a stark contrast to their usual prowess, prompting questions about what’s gone wrong for a side that, on paper, looks unbeatable.

Why are Mumbai Indians struggling in WPL 2026 despite having a star-studded lineup?

1. Lack of batting contribution

The root of MI-W’s struggles lies in several interconnected issues, starting with an over-reliance on their star middle-order batters, Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt. The duo has been the backbone of the batting lineup, often bailing the team out of tricky situations. Harmanpreet, the captain, has delivered crucial knocks, such as her unbeaten 71 off 43 balls against Gujarat Giants, which secured one of their rare wins.

Similarly, Sciver-Brunt has shone with the bat, notably scoring an unbeaten 66 off 45 against Delhi Capitals, propelling MI-W to a respectable 154/5 on a slow surface. However, when these two fail to fire, the innings crumbles. In their loss to UP Warriorz, where they chased 188 but fell short by 22 runs, the lack of substantial contributions from the top order exposed this dependency.

The rest of the batting unit, hasn’t stepped up consistently, leaving Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt to shoulder an unsustainable burden. This over dependence has meant that MI-W’s innings often start rebuilding too late, putting undue pressure on the finishers.

2. Power-play woes

Compounding this is MI-W’s persistent powerplay woes, which have been a glaring weakness throughout the season. The team has the tournament’s least powerplay run rate at a dismal 6.50 runs per over, well below the next worst (UP Warriorz at 7.56). This sluggish start stems from a lack of aggression and poor adaptation to swinging conditions, with openers struggling to find rhythm.

The management has experimented extensively with opening combinations, trying four different pairs in just five games, which has only added to the instability. Initially, they paired Amelia Kerr with G Kamalini, but Kerr struggled to flourish. Next came Amanjot Kaur partnering Kamalini, but that too failed to ignite the innings.

More recently, they’ve turned to Hayley Matthews and Sajeevan Sajana, yet even this duo fell cheaply in their match against Delhi Capitals, with both seeing their stumps disturbed early. These constant changes reflect a lack of settled strategy, forcing the middle order into damage-control mode from the outset and hampering momentum.

3. No stability in overseas player-selection

MI-W’s handling of their overseas contingent has been akin to playing Russian roulette, further exacerbating the lineup’s instability. With a wealth of international talent, the team has struggled to nail down their four overseas spots in the playing XI.

Nicola Carey, initially named as a backup overseas option, was drafted into the playing XI for the opening match due to Hayley Matthews’ unavailability. The Australian all-rounder has since seized her opportunity, delivering impactful performances with both bat and ball, and her contributions have now presented the team management with a selection dilemma.

Shabnim Ismail, their pace spearhead, had been left out against UPW, a spin-friendly opposition where her skills could have been pivotal.

Hayley Matthews’ poor form has been particularly damaging. The West Indian all-rounder, returning from shoulder surgery after a six-month layoff, missed the initial two matches due to sickness. In her limited appearances, she’s failed to provide the explosive starts MI-W desperately need.

Her bowling, usually a wicket-taking asset, hasn’t yielded results either, with the team opting to bench her in certain games despite her utility on turning tracks. This dip in form has not only weakened the top order but also reduced MI-W’s all-round depth.

Against DC-W, the team made a baffling call by dropping Amelia Kerr despite her outstanding all-round display in the previous match, where she claimed a superb three-wicket haul and remained unbeaten on 49. As Mumbai Indians’ leading bowler, Kerr’s unexplained exclusion proved costly, with the side paying the price through a third consecutive defeat.

4. Poor fielding

Finally, MI-W’s below-average fielding has cost them dearly, turning potential wins into losses. They’ve dropped around 10 catches in five matches, an average of two per game, their worst ratio in the last four seasons.

MI-W embarrassed themselves on the field in the opening clash against RCB-W, dropping catches on back-to-back balls, and missing easy run-out chances. The team continued to make errors even against UP-W, with Harmanpreet dropping Phoebe Litchfield and a missed stumping chance against Meg Lanning.

Is MI-W out of the season?

Mumbai Indians are still very much in the run for the playoffs. However, they must win both their remaining matches if they wish to keep their hopes of defending their title. Their best bet would be playing Carey, Brunt, Kerr and Ismail as their four overseas options, and improve their powerplay scores with both bat and all.

Given the depth of firepower in the squad, it would take only a slight shift in momentum for the team to rediscover form and return to winning ways swiftly.

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