New Delhi, May 7 -- In a rain-marred contest, Mumbai Indians suffered a 3-wicket defeat as the match went down to the last ball. After the defeat, MI have dropped to the fourth spot and with the six teams currently competing for the four playoff spots, the race between them is becoming tighter and tighter. Here's a look at how the Hardik Pandya led franchise can still secure a playoff berth from this stage.

Mumbai Indians currently have 14 points from 12 matches with a net run rate of +1.156 - the highest of any of the top five IPL franchises. This run-rate could give the Mumbai-based franchise an edge if things go down to the wire.

As things stand, the path is clear for Mumbai Indians. If they win all 2 of their matches, even by the sl...