With just five matches remaining in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024, including Thursday’s Sunrisers vs Gujarat Titans, the race for the last two spots has gained momentum.
Rains disrupted today’s match, and even the toss has been delayed in Hyderabad. There are also chances of a washout.
Looking at the IPL points table, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have already qualified for the playoffs, as they have 19 and 16 points, respectively.
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The third and fourth positions are occupied by defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, each with 14 points. The fifth position is held by Delhi Capitals, also with 14 points.
However, the difference is the net run rate. CSK has an NRR of +0.528, SRH has +0.406, and DC has an NRR of -0.377. But SRH has a leading edge over the two remaining teams, considering they have matches remaining and can seal the berth in the knock-out stages with just one win.
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Playoff scenario for other teams:
Now, if Thursday’s match is washed out, SRH will climb to third place and have 15 points. But if they win, they will qualify, and if they lose, they will have to look out for the important clash between CSK and RCB on 18 May.
To qualify for the playoffs, RCB must secure a win to reach 14 points and maintain a superior Net Run Rate over CSK.
On the other hand, CSK would have to focus on minimizing the margin of defeat to safeguard its Net Run Rate advantage. Even if it loses, it will have to keep its NRR above RCB.
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What about the other four teams:
For Lucknow Super Giants, it is unlikely that they will qualify for the playoffs, even if they win against the bottom-ranked Mumbai Indians on Friday. The reason is their NRR of -0.787. Currently, they have 12 points.
For other teams like the Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians, the tournament is almost over. GT has 11 points, PBKS has 10, and Mumbai has 8.
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Published: 16 May 2024, 09:14 PM IST