Why did the well-dressed Wankhede Stadium disappoint Mumbai Indians fans?

By K.R. Nayar 

Mumbai. It was a delightful sight for anyone entering the Wankhede Stadium. This venue was totally dressed in Mumbai Indians (MI) colours, with towering cut-outs of Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav beckoning everyone to watch them in full flow. Unfortunately, in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday (April 12, 2026), none of them rose to the challenge with big scores, and MI lost by 18 runs.

The towering cut-outs of Mumbai Indians's top stars at the Wankhede Stadium. Photo by K.R. Nayar

Five-time champions MI are stumbling having lost three of their four matches. Their fans had arrived early to enjoy top class cricket from their team and were seated below the stadium roof painted in MI’s blue and gold colours with hopes in their hearts. What they got instead was heartbreak. A vibrant Royal Challengers top order, comprising opener Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar, struck half-centuries, while for Mumbai, except for Sherfane Rutherford, none crossed the 50-run mark.

Wankhede is always a bowl-first venue during night matches due to the heavy dew. On Sunday, RCB went on to post 240 for 4, the highest IPL score recorded at the ground, and produced a rare instance of a team defending a total after losing the toss. It was an exceptionally hot day too, with Sharma being forced to retire owing to a hamstring injury when he was on 19. Had he stayed on, MI may have won, but the fact remains: why were their bowlers unable to restrict RCB to a gettable total? There was more hush than applause from the MI fans as mistimed strokes and poor bowling were aplenty.

Wankhede Stadium roof painted in MI's blue and gold colours. Photo by K.R. Nayar

For MI, the problems run deeper than one bad evening. They have top stars who have delivered for India in their recent World Cup triumphs but are not doing the same for MI. Their once feared bowling now seems to lack the sting. Jasprit Bumrah, their strike bowler, going without a wicket in his fifth consecutive match is a matter of concern. In fact, alarming.

Yours sincerely at the colourfully dressed entrance of the Wankhede Stadium

In IPL history, one has seen MI return strongly, but right now they are struggling. This is a franchise built on resilience and has often stumbled but risen with a vengeance, fiercer and hungrier. The question is: when will that happen, and why did it not start from their home ground? For this to happen, MI need to rediscover their discipline, and their captain, Hardik Pandya, needs to steer them through the storm. Right now, the former champions are down, but maybe not drowning, and certainly not beyond rising again.

The legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle had passed away in the morning, and the match began after observing a minute’s silence in her memory. She lived just half an hour drive from the stadium and was a huge admirer of Sachin Tendulkar. She had once remarked that Tendulkar is a blend of Sunil Gavaskar’s elegance and Viv Richards’s aggression. Many arrived at the stadium listening to her famous song “Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja”…that was being played on television along with the news of her passing away. Unfortunately, the win never arrived for MI.  In total, it was a disappointing day for Mumbaikars shaded in sporting and emotional sorrow.