With only 10 games remaining in the league stage, no team has secured a ‘Q’ in front of their name yet. Having already reached 16 points, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) are favourites to qualify. The latter suffered a setback after losing their last game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata by 29 runs. Over the last three days, three lower-ranked teams, all practically out of the playoff race, have spoiled the party for others. First, Mumbai Indians (MI) handed Punjab Kings (PBKS) a defeat in Dharamshala, courtesy of a brilliant innings from Tilak Varma. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) then ended Chennai Super Kings (CSK)’s three-match winning streak.
Teams like LSG and MI have already been eliminated. Despite their win against second-placed GT, KKR would require a miraculous turnaround to qualify from their current position.
The same can be said about Delhi Capitals (DC), who can now reach only 14 points. However, as recent results suggest, these four teams are more than capable of playing spoilsport.
Apart from RCB and GT, the teams firmly in contention are Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rajasthan Royals (RR), PBKS and CSK.
Here’s what these teams need to do to seal a playoff berth:
RCB: The defending champions are already in a strong position with 16 points and two games remaining in the league stage. Among all 10 teams, they also possess the best net run rate (NRR) at +1.053. Their next game is against an out-of-form PBKS side. A win in that match would seal qualification. Most likely, they would also finish in the top two if they win in Dharamshala.
(First position, remaining games — PBKS, SRH)
GT: A glorious five-match unbeaten run was halted by KKR. It was a tough loss for GT, who were aiming to move to the top of the points table with 18 points. However, all is not lost, as they remain well placed to qualify. The only concern is that they might miss out on a top-two finish if SRH win both their remaining games and improve their NRR.
(Second position, remaining games — CSK)
SRH: The Pat Cummins-led side can still reach a maximum of 18 points, which could secure them a top-two finish if they win their remaining two matches by significant margins. In that case, NRR would decide the second spot if GT also win their final game against CSK. Even if SRH lose one of the two matches, 16 points should still be enough for qualification.
(Third position, remaining games — CSK, RCB)
PBKS: From being one of the most dominant teams to losing five games on the bounce, it has been a strange season for last year’s runners-up. At one stage, they looked like prime contenders to secure one of the top-two spots. Now, the same side are struggling even to qualify for the playoffs. They could very well miss out if they fail to win their remaining two matches. Winning both games would take them to 17 points, which should be enough for qualification, although it would still depend on other results.
(Fourth position, remaining games — RCB, LSG)
RR: With three games left, the Royals can still reach 18 points if they win all their remaining fixtures. Two wins may not be enough to guarantee qualification, as other results would also need to go their way, with NRR likely to come into play in the event of a tie on points. The challenge for RR is that they have lost their last two games. Even though they will face bottom-placed teams in their final three matches, they still remain at risk of missing out on qualification.
(Fifth position, remaining games — DC, LSG, MI)
CSK: There is no sense of panic within the camp, as they have been in similar situations before and still managed to qualify. However, the five-time champions will need to beat both SRH and GT to reach 16 points, a task that will not be easy. Adding to their challenge is the fact that CSK have already lost several first-choice players to injury. A defeat against SRH in Chennai in their next game would effectively end their campaign this season.
(Sixth position, remaining games — SRH, GT)
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