So that will be all from our coverage of this contest. Two more games to go in IPL 2023 before we know who our champions are. We know one finalist but in a couple of days' time, we will know who the second one is as Gujarat Titans lock horns with Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Who will join the Chennai Super Kings in the summit clash? Do join us for our coverage of Qualifier 2 right here on Sportskeeda while keeping yourselves updated with all the other cricketing news and action from around the globe on this very platform. For the moment though, this is the duo of Shashwat Kumar and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for tuning into our coverage as we hope you enjoyed it. See you on Friday - good night and take care!

He's living a dream and has done a wonderful job so far has Akash Madhwal! From being in the nets of the team last year to leading the attack this season, it has been quite a story. And Mumbai Indians will hope that there is more to come from him as they now fly to Ahmedabad to face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2. As for Lucknow Super Giants, they had their moments this season and were doing a fine job just ahead of the playoffs. But alas, it wasn't to be and while they will take the positives from this campaign, they will also look back on certain decisions they made and look to work on that as they aim to bounce back stronger next year.

Akash Madhwal is undoubtedly the Player of the Match for his outstanding returns of 5/5 off 3.3 overs. Here's what he has to say: I was just practicing and I was waiting a lot for this opportunity. I first did my engineering and then followed my passion. My state got affiliation in 2018 and then I followed it. (On him bowling quick) It's the tendency of engineers to do things quickly (grins). We practice in the nets, the management and coaches are at it. Whatever they set up, that's what he practice and try to execute. I'm proud but I will try to do even better than this in the next matches and our team becomes the champion. (On filling Jasprit Bumrah's shoes) Bumrah bhai is different, I am different. At the moment I'm trying to give my best. (On his favorite wicket) Nicholas Pooran. (On the reactions back home) They will all be happy. I have been working hard.

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians captain): (Did he think two weeks back that the team would be on their way to Ahmedabad?) I definitely thought about it. That's what we've done over the years. People did not expect us to do certain things but we've come out of all obstacles and managed our way through to get what we wanted. At the start of the season we knew that we had a lot of work to do compared to what happened in the last season. But we managed our work through it, we scrambled through it. Yes it was a scrappy one but I will take it. (On Madhwal) He was part of the season last year as a support bowler and we drafted him into the squad. He didn't play but we knew what he had. Once Jofra was gone we knew we needed someone to bowl at the back end. Having seen enough of him I knew he had the skillset to get the job done. Good attitude and character and that's what is needed. Talking about the scouts, over the years we've seen so many gems come through Mumbai Indians, go on to play for India and then do well as well. (On his own attitude with these younger people) First and foremost it's important to make them feel special and feel part of the team. They play a lot of domestic cricket but this is a different ball game. Different pressure here. So my job as a skipper is to ensure they feel comfortable on the ground. Myself, the coaching staff, our job is to ensure they are comfortable to go out there and do the job for the team. (On the fielding) As a team we enjoyed it. As a team it's something we always talk about - that we want to get into it on the field. We knew coming to Chennai, it was not going be one man who was going to take us through. It was going to take the whole team to come to the party. At Wankhede one individual can take you through but on a pitch like this we needed the whole team to do well.

Cameron Green (Mumbai Indians): (How does it feel?) Obviously pretty good. I think that's the most complete game we've had. Obviously the time you want to peak in the tournament. It's all kind of clicking at the moment. Our batting's been really good in the tournament. I think Akash has been the game-changer for us. Five-fer today and a four-fer the other day. I think we had a pretty poor game last game so we had to sit down. We wanted to hunt as a pack. We didn't quite do that last game and that's what we wanted to do this game. When you bowl second, all the guys are in together and the energy was there. (On Madhwal) He's been awesome. I think ever since he came into our team we realized he was special. For his first IPL season he doesn't seem overawed at all. (On facing GT in Qualifier 2) They're obviously the best team in the comp. Got a little subdued last night but I still feel they're the best team in the comp. Looking forward to it.

Krunal Pandya, Lucknow Super Giants captain: (What went wrong) We were in a really good position. Everything started when I played that shot when it was not on and I take complete responsibility. We should have played better cricket there. I take all the blame for where we ended up. (On the pitch in the second half) The wicket was good, it was coming nicely onto the bat. It played exactly how it did in the first innings. We had to bat better. We needed to take responsibility and play better cricket but we did not play that way. (On QDK exclusion) It is always a tough decision. He is a world-class batter. It is just that Kyle had a better record here. We felt that we could go with Kyle. (On opening with spin) Their batters bat really well against pace so I thought we could bowl spin at the start. 

Match Summary: Mumbai Indians beat Lucknow Super Giants by 81 runs.

Cameron Green 41 (23) | Akash Madhwal 5/5 (3.3)
Marcus Stoinis 40 (27) | Naveen-ul-Haq 4/38 (4)

A performance that was just not befitting of a team that made the top four and alas, it has come to a very tame end as far as the Lucknow Super Giants are concerned. Their journey is done for IPL 2023 and much like last year, they bow out in the Eliminator although this is a display that will hurt them big time. Mumbai Indians had a superb total on the board on a two-paced deck and 182 was always going to be a handful.

Akash Madhwal showed the way after he was handed the second over and he struck with the wicket of Prerak Mankad. Kyle Mayers started positively but he too was rushed for pace by Chris Jordan, putting the Super Giants onto the back foot early on. Marcus Stoinis was keen to make Mumbai pay for a dropped catch though as he went after their bowlers with a counter-attack, taking a special liking to Hrithik Shokeen as he powered his team past 50 by the end of the powerplay.

The way Stoinis was batting, it seemed as though this was going to be a tight finish although he had to do all of it himself the way wickets fell regularly. Skipper Krunal Pandya holed out looking to attack Piyush Chawla and Madhwal returned to nip both Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran in the bud. If that was bad though, what was to follow was catastrophic from LSG's point of view...

Deepak Hooda and Stoinis were involved in a mid-pitch collision that sent the latter packing, effectively ending all realistic hopes of an LSG comeback. Two more run outs followed though with Hooda involved in both as he departed himself in the last of those. Each one looked worse than the previous one with a total lack of communication between the batters in the middle. MI's fielders, led by Rohit, were right on top of their game as they just seemed charged up. It reflected in what was a thorough performance at the end of it all with the icing on the cake coming in the form of Madhwal's fifth wicket as MI now book a ticket in Qualifier 2 to face the Gujarat Titans. As for LSG, it's the end of their tournament. Stick around for the presentations...

And he gets a five-fer! Akash Madhwal with a spell for the ages and these are the best returns in an IPL playoff match! MI turn up with a dominant display on the big night and they will make their way to Ahmedabad to take on Gujarat Titans.

16.3 Akash Madhwal to Mohsin Khan, MADHWAL HAS FIVE! MI ARE IN THE QUALIFIER AGAINST GT! Yorker that hones in on off stump and comfortably gets the better of Mohsin. He picks it late and cannot bring his bat down in time as the ball smashes into the base of off stump! MI have won this game by 81 runs, and that is a massive, massive win, considering this was a playoff! They will now take on GT, with the winner then clashing with CSK on Sunday!

Mohsin Khan b Akash Madhwal 0 (7b, 0x4, 0x6)

Around the wicket comes Madhwal but a false start thereafter. Take two...

16.2 Akash Madhwal to Naveen-ul-Haq, full delivery angled into middle and leg stump. Naveen stabs it towards mid wicket for a single

16.1 Akash Madhwal to Naveen-ul-Haq, back of a length delivery on leg stump. Naveen takes a step down the track and defends it towards the bowler

Madhwal looking for a fifth now...

Timeout!

Jordan has bowled really well today and he will feel very confident especially having endured a couple of tough outings. This should allow Madhwal to bag a fifth though - unless we see another run out of course. It has just been a sorry show by LSG today. Lucknow Super Giants require 83 runs off 24 deliveries 20.75 RPO.

15.6 Chris Jordan to Mohsin Khan, back of a length delivery hung outside off stump. Mohsin swishes and misses but this time, the umpire comes to his rescue. MI have reviewed this, though! The ball is inside the tramlines, and that is a maiden for Jordan!

15.5 Chris Jordan to Mohsin Khan, full and outside off stump. Mohsin has another wild swing at it and connects with the fresh Chennai air

15.4 Chris Jordan to Mohsin Khan, full and angled into leg stump. Mohsin hangs back and defends it towards the bowler

15.3 Chris Jordan to Mohsin Khan, OH! Full delivery just outside off stump. Mohsin clears his front leg and tries to tonk it into Thursday. Misses, and the ball shaves off stump!

Jordan has come around the wicket, by the way.