The race for the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs intensified on Tuesday after Delhi Capitals secured a crucial victory over Lucknow Super Giants. With this win, the Capitals join Chennai Super Kings, SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Lucknow Super Giants in a tight battle for the remaining two playoff spots. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have already secured their places in the postseason.
Kolkata Knight Riders (19 points in 13 games) secured the first playoff berth and a top-two finish, guaranteeing them a spot in Qualifier 1 on May 21 in Ahmedabad.
Rajasthan Royals (16 points in 12 games) also qualified for the playoffs after defeating Delhi Capitals. However, their hold on a top-two spot is precarious. Their net run rate (+0.349) is lower than Chennai Super Kings (+0.528) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (+0.406). If they lose their remaining matches and CSK wins its final game, RR could be pushed out of the top two.
Here's a look at the playoffs qualification scenarios for five teams after the DC vs LSG match:
Sunrisers Hyderabad (14 points in 12 games) climbed to third place after their win over Lucknow Super Giants. A victory in their next match against Gujarat Titans would virtually assure their playoff spot.
Chennai Super Kings (14 points in 13 games) are in a strong position to qualify. They need to win their final match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru to advance. Even a loss wouldn't necessarily eliminate them, as long as the margin isn't too large (less than 18 runs). CSK could even grab the second spot, but that scenario requires a win over RCB combined with losses for both RR and SRH in their remaining games.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (12 points in 13 games) are still in contention, riding a five-game winning streak. Their playoff hopes hinge on a crucial match against CSK. They need a big win (by at least 18 runs or chasing down the target with 11 or more balls remaining) to stay alive.
Delhi Capitals (14 points in 14 games) technically remain in the hunt, but their poor net run rate makes qualification highly improbable. Their fate rests on SRH losing their remaining matches by significant margins.
Lucknow Super Giants (12 points from 13 game) playoff hopes are nearly extinguished after their defeat to DC. Their poor Net Run Rate (-0.787) makes qualification highly unlikely. An improbable scenario of a massive win in their final match against Mumbai Indians (MI) along with heavy defeats for SRH, CSK, and RCB is needed for them to sneak into the playoffs.
Eliminated Teams
- Mumbai Indians (8 points in 13 games) were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
- Punjab Kings (eliminated after 13 games) failed to reach the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
- Gujarat Titans (eliminated after 12 games), the IPL 2022 champions, will not feature in the knockouts for the first time in their three-year history.
