EXPLAINED: Playoffs qualification scenario for seven teams in contention for remaining three spots

The IPL 2023 edition has been a huge hit. Every year, the league stage goes down to the wire. Often, teams are seen fighting hard for one, or more, remaining playoff spots till the last day of the league stage. This year, the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) remain the only side to have booked a slot in the playoffs, having ensured a top-two finish as well. However, as many as seven franchises remain in the fray to end with the remaining three spots with only four days left in the league stage.

To date, Delhi Capitals (DC) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) remain the only two teams out of this year’s edition. So far, 64 out of the 70 league games have been done and dusted — i.e. more than 90 percent (91.42%) — but Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are still competing hard to enter the last-four.

On Wednesday (May 17), the David Warner-led DC franchise defeated PBKS by 15 runs, in match 64, to not only take Shikhar Dhawan & Co. closer to early elimination but further complicate the playoffs race. Here’s what the remaining seven teams have to do to grab the three available playoff tickets and join Hardik-led GT –

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni’s Yellow Army will confirm a place in the last four with a win over DC in their last league game, on Saturday (May 20) in New Delhi. They can even progress ahead without adding to their points tally (15) if RCB or MI lose at least one of their remaining games.

Lucknow Super Giants: Krunal Pandya’s LSG won a crucial home game, on Tuesday (May 17), versus MI. Thus, they are also in a safe position compared to other teams. A win will confirm them a playoff berth and they can even go ahead with a loss but will need MI or RCB to lose one game, at least. 

Mumbai Indians: The five-time champions will secure a berth in the last four with a win over SRH in their last match and also with RCB losing, at least, one of their last two fixtures.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Talking about the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB, the three-time runners-up can go ahead with wins in their remaining two games. If they lose one, it will help CSK and LSG — as stated above — but the Bengaluru-based team will have to depend on how MI, KKR, RR, and PBKS fare in their last match. As of now, they have a healthy Net Run Rate (NRR) (than MI, RR, KKR, and PBKS) — +0.166.

Rajasthan Royals: The Sanju Samson-led Royals have certainly lost the plot after a brilliant start (with four wins from their first five fixtures). They are left with one more game, versus PBKS on Friday (May 19) in Dharamshala. If they earn a massive victory and MI, RCB, and KKR lose their remaining games, they can still enter the playoffs.

Kolkata Knight Riders: The two-time winners still have an outside chance to feature in the last four. If they get the better of LSG by a handsome margin, they can move past MI and then hope for MI and RCB to lose their remaining encounters.

Their journey to the playoffs is more complicated as they will still have to rely on the outcome of the PBKS-RR face-off. For Rana & Co.’s progression, they will pray for Punjab’s close win over the Royals or for the game to end in a draw. 

Punjab Kings: Punjab have made life much more difficult for them with a loss to Warner & Co. in Dharamshala. They, however, remain alive in the playoffs race by the barest of margins. They need to beat RR convincingly and hope for the likes of MI, RCB, and KKR to concede their remaining games.

If this happens, MI and PBKS will end at 14 points each whereas RCB, KKR, and RR will finish a dozen points apiece. Thus, NRR will come into play between Mumbai and Punjab for one to join the playoffs. 

Currently, GT are set to play the Qualifier 1, in Chennai. The likes of CSK and Lucknow have a great chance to join the last four whereas one among MI and RCB is likely to make the cut as well. Nonetheless, IPL 2023 has pulled off some big surprises already, and, hence, anything is possible in the remaining four days of the league stage.

On Thursday (May 18), the Faf du Plessis-led Bengaluru franchise will lock horns with the bottom-ranked SRH in Hyderabad in match 65. Needless to say, all other teams will also have an eye on the encounter.