Gujarat Titans have not only qualified but have ensured a top-two finish after a win over SRH on Monday. GT will be playing Qualifier 1. Their final league game will be against RCB and while it is a must-win for RCB, GT will be aiming for a win to continue their winning momentum.

CSK’s only remaining match is against DC in Delhi and while CSK are more or less secured for a playoff berth, they will not like to leave any margin for error and seal the deal with a win. The win will take them to 17 points and they will not finish below 3rd in the standings irrespective of the results of other games. LSG and MI are playing each other today, meaning, if CSK win their last league game, only one team from LSG and MI can surpass CSK.However, if CSK lose to DC, that will leave them at 15 points and vulnerable. MI would need only one win from their last two games – vs LSG or SRH – to overtake CSK. And if LSG manage to win one of their games – vs MI or KKR – they will be on equal points with CSK and NRR will come into play.There is also a possibility of RCB and PBKS sneaking through ahead of CSK if they manage to win both of their remaining matches. RCB play GT and SRH, while PBKS will play DC and RR. In such a case it could very well be curtains for CSK and MS Dhoni this season.

For RR, Mumbai's loss is a Christmas gift, as this opens up the option of possibly qualifying for the playoffs with 14 points. If they win their final games and get to the 14-point mark, both would fancy themselves to upstage MI on NRR if the Rohit Sharma-led side loses to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

RCB have the advantage of a superior NRR compared to the other teams fighting to get to 16, but for that to be relevant, they will need to win a couple of games, or at least one. Two wins will give them an excellent chance of qualification due to their excellent NRR which got a significant boost from their stunning 112-run win against the Royals.RCB have the advantage of playing the last game of the league stage - a home game against Gujarat Titans - which means they will know exactly what they'll need to do. However, that last game could be inconsequential if they don't win their away game in Hyderabad on Thursday.

KKR's best bet is if they win their last game by a healthy margin, and if Royals, RCB and Mumbai lose their remaining matches. Then, there will be a three-way tie on 14 between KKR, Kings and Mumbai. All three sides have negative NRRs at the moment, and Knight Riders will have a realistic chance of topping those two teams.

LSG's thrilling five-run win against Mumbai Indians keeps alive their hopes of finishing in the top two, let alone qualifying. That will definitely happen if they beat Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game away, and if Chennai Super Kings lose in Delhi. If LSG and CSK finish on 17, it will come down to the result margins, as there is currently little to choose between the net run rates (NRR): 0.304 for Super Giants, and 0.381 for Super Kings.However, if LSG lose their last game, then they could be in a sticky position as five other teams - Gujarat Titans, CSK, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings - can all finish on 16 or more points.

Their loss in Lucknow means Mumbai now need to depend on other results, even if they win their game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. That is because three teams can finish on more than 16 points - which is the maximum for Mumbai - and two others, RCB and Kings, can also reach 16. Royal Challengers have an NRR of 0.166, which will likely improve further if they win two, compared to Mumbai Indians' -0.128.However, if any of the four sides between RCB, LSG, CSK and Kings lose, then Mumbai's chances go up considerably. They have the advantage of playing on the last day of the league stage, against a team which has struggled throughout the season, and in home conditions; no team has a better home record than Mumbai this season (4-2).If Mumbai lose that last game then it could get even more complicated, as five teams could potentially finish on 14 points, fighting for one slot.

Given their poor NRR, it is highly unlikely that Kings will take the fourth spot with 14 points. They will need to win their last two and finish on 16, and then probably hope that other results help them out, as RCB are on as many points with a significantly better run rate.To start with, they need a big win against bottom-placed Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.

Tags :IPL 2023 playoff scenarioGujarat TitansMumbai Indians