Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings IPL 2026: Rohit Sharma’s participation in clash against PBKS is not certain due to a hamstring injury suffered in the last match vs RCB.
Updated: April 16, 2026 11:07 AM IST
MI vs PBKS IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians have major concerns heading into their 5th match of the IPL 2026 season against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Hardik Pandya’s side are near the bottom of the table currently with just one win in 4 matches so far, coming into Thursday’s match on the back of three successive losses.
But the biggest worry for Mumbai will be at the top of the order with their former captain and opener Rohit Sharma is doubt for the clash against PBKS. Rohit retired hurt with 19 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru with a hamstring injury and didn’t return to bat again in the innings as his side lost by 18 runs at home on Sunday.
Rohit underwent scans at the hospital after the game earlier this week and was seen heavily strapped up as he turned up for practice on the eve of the match against PBKS on Wednesday. The former India captain was seen training and also batted in the nets at the Wankhede Stadium but a final call on his participation will be taken near toss time on Thursday.
“The medical team and the coaching staff are assessing him and we will get to know,” a team official said at the start of MI’s training session on Wednesday.
Rohit was retained for Rs 16.3 crore ahead of IPL 2026 season by Nita Ambani’s Mumbai Indians. If Rohit fails to regain fitness for the clash against PBKS, then either Quinton de Kock or Vidarbha’s Daniesh Malewar could come into the side as his replacement.
Bring in De Kock would mean that MI would have to leave out one out of Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner or Trent Boult with Ryan Rickleton playing as wicketkeeper and opener. Meanwhile, England all-rounder Will Jacks is yet to join the team after missing the first four games of the season. Jacks was retained for Rs 5.25 crore ahead of IPL 2026 season.
Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings are unlikely to make too many changes to their playing 11 with all of their players currently fit for the clash against MI.
The Shers are in Mumbai
होऊ दे राडा pic.twitter.com/BwCseanNPS
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 16, 2026
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma/Danish Malewar, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Mayank Markande
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vushak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
