Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians (MI) is a professional Twenty20 cricket team based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, that competes in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Founded in 2008 as one of the league's eight original franchises, the team is owned by Reliance Industries, India's largest conglomerate, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Indiawin Sports. The team plays its home matches at the Wankhede Stadium, which has a capacity of 78,600 spectators and is located in the marine suburb of Mumbai.
Mumbai Indians is the most successful franchise in IPL history, having won five championships in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. The franchise also won the Champions League Twenty20 twice, in 2011 and 2013. In 2017, Mumbai Indians became the first IPL franchise to cross the $100 million mark in brand value, and by 2019, the brand was valued at approximately ₹809 crore ($115 million), the highest among all IPL franchises for four consecutive years.
Franchise History
Formation and Early Years (2008–2009)
The Indian Premier League was announced in September 2007 as a Twenty20 competition to begin in 2008. In January 2008, the BCCI unveiled the owners of eight city-based franchises. The Mumbai franchise was sold to Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) for $111.9 million, making it the most expensive team in the league at the inaugural auction.
Sachin Tendulkar was designated as Mumbai's icon player, making him unavailable for the player auction. At the inaugural player auction in February 2008, the Mumbai franchise purchased several international stars including Sanath Jayasuriya, Harbhajan Singh, Shaun Pollock, Lasith Malinga, and Robin Uthappa. Tendulkar was appointed captain with Lalchand Rajput as head coach.
A hamstring injury sidelined Tendulkar at the start of the 2008 season, leading Harbhajan Singh to take over the captaincy. The team lost its first four matches, including a five-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opener on April 20, 2008. Following the "Slapgate" incident where Harbhajan was suspended for striking Sreesanth, Shaun Pollock assumed leadership duties. Under Pollock, Mumbai won six consecutive matches but finished fifth in the points table, missing the semi-finals by a single point.
The 2009 season was relocated to South Africa due to security concerns surrounding the Indian general election. Mumbai finished seventh in the league stage.
Rise to Dominance (2010–2015)
The appointment of Rohit Sharma as captain in 2012 marked a turning point for the franchise. Under Rohit's leadership, Mumbai Indians won their first IPL title in 2013, defeating Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs in the final at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. This was Mumbai's first IPL title, making them the third team to win multiple titles.
In 2015, Mumbai won their second IPL title by defeating Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs in the final. The victory came at a time when the franchise was dealing with the death of Mukesh Ambani's mother, and the team dedicated the win to her.
Record-Breaking Dynasty (2017–2020)
On May 21, 2017, Mumbai Indians won their third IPL title by defeating Rising Pune Supergiant by just one run in the final, becoming the first team to win three IPL titles. During the tournament, they became the first team to win 100 T20 matches.
In 2019, Mumbai Indians won a record-breaking fourth IPL title, beating Chennai Super Kings by just one run in the final. The match is remembered as one of the closest finals in IPL history, with Lasith Malinga defending 9 runs in the final over.
In 2020, Mumbai Indians became the first team to win the IPL title five times, defeating Delhi Capitals by five wickets in the final in Dubai. This achievement cemented Mumbai Indians' status as the most successful franchise in IPL history, tied with Chennai Super Kings.
Ownership and Finance
Mumbai Indians is owned by Reliance Industries, India's largest conglomerate, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Indiawin Sports. The franchise was acquired for $111.9 million at the inaugural auction in 2008, making it the most expensive team in the league. Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, has overseen the franchise since its inception.
In 2017, Mumbai Indians became the first franchise to cross the $100 million mark in brand value. By 2019, the brand value was estimated at approximately ₹809 crore ($115 million), the highest among all IPL franchises for four consecutive years.
Home Ground
Mumbai Indians plays its home matches at the Wankhede Stadium, located in the marine suburb of Mumbai. The stadium was established in 1984 and has been MI's primary home ground since the franchise's inception. The venue typically favors batters, and the stadium's large capacity of 78,600 makes it one of the largest cricket grounds in India.
Team Identity
The franchise's colors are blue and gold, visible in the team's jerseys and branding. The logo features a stylized "MI" monogram with a cricket ball element. The team is nicknamed "Ambani's Army" or simply "Mumbai Indians."
For IPL 2026, the team is captained by Hardik Pandya, who took over from Rohit Sharma in 2024. Mahela Jayawardene was appointed as head coach before the 2025 season. The coaching staff includes Kieron Pollard as batting coach and Lasith Malinga as bowling coach.
Rohit Sharma remains the leading run-scorer for the franchise, while Lasith Malinga is the leading wicket-taker.
Season-by-Season Record
| Season | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 5th | League stage |
| 2009 | 7th | League stage |
| 2010 | 4th | Playoffs |
| 2011 | 3rd | Playoffs |
| 2012 | 4th | Playoffs |
| 2013 | 1st | Champions |
| 2014 | 4th | Playoffs |
| 2015 | 1st | Champions |
| 2016 | 5th | League stage |
| 2017 | 1st | Champions |
| 2018 | 5th | League stage |
| 2019 | 1st | Champions |
| 2020 | 1st | Champions |
| 2021 | 5th | Playoffs |
| 2022 | 4th | Playoffs |
| 2023 | 2nd | Runner-up |
| 2024 | 10th | League stage |
| 2025 | 3rd | Playoffs |