IPL Playoff scenarios: CSK gains significant NRR boost, RCB’s chances appear good following their second straight victory
Since every team in the 2024 Indian Premier League has participated in eight to ten games so far, the competition is now at the point when the battle for the top four is intensifying. There are presently five teams on 10 points, one team on 8 points, and three teams on 6 points below the Rajasthan Royals, who are comfortably leading the way with a six-point advantage on the scoreboard. Let’s examine each team’s current standing and what remains to be done for them to guarantee a postseason berth. RR has only lost once this season and has amassed as many as 16 points in nine games so far.
Even though their qualification hasn’t been verified yet, one more victory ought to suffice. They have not yet been mathematically verified as qualified because all teams—aside from RCB—have the potential to reach the round of 16. For the time being, KKR is superior to the five teams below them who are on 10 points. After eight games, they have one match left against RR, two against DC in sixth position, a game against CSK in third, SRH in fourth, and Lucknow Super Giants in fifth. With two more victories, KKR will reach 14 points, which is the most that the bottom-seeded RCB can obtain if they win all of their remaining games. That should be enough for the two-time winners.
The two thorough losses that SRH has experienced to RCB and CSK in their last two games have punctured their rampaging ways. On the other side, CSK’s victory over SRH has significantly improved their net run rate. Of the two, SRH will have to deal with a little more pressure from fifth-place LSG, whose net run rate is just marginally lower than that of the 2016 winners. Although DC is among the teams with 10 points, they have played in more games than any other team in the standings. DC must win all of their remaining games because they have already experienced five losses. Three of their last four games are against clubs who are ranked higher than them, including their final league game against LSG.
It implies that DC’s are still, in part, under their control. Gujarat Titans’ position may appear to be comparable to that of the eighth-place Punjab Kings and ninth-place Mumbai Indians, but a closer examination may reveal that they are in much worse shape. With a net run rate of -1.113, GT has the lowest by far out of all teams, having lost six of their ten games. This means that in order for any team below the Washington Capitals in seventh place to get to the postseason, they must win every game they have left and pray for a string of fortunate breaks. This includes RCB, who would be optimistic following two straight victories but would still be at the bottom of the table.
