IPL 2023 playoff qualification scenarios: SRH, DC eliminated; what other teams need to do to book playoff berth

The Gujarat Titans, reigning champions of the IPL, have secured their spot in the playoffs for the 2023 season. They achieved this feat by defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad by a margin of 34 runs in Match 62, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this victory, Gujarat has also guaranteed themselves a top-two finish in the league phase.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, chasing a target of 189 runs, were unable to reach their goal, managing only 154/9 in 20 overs. Despite a valiant effort by Heinrich Klaasen, who scored a half-century with 64 runs off 44 balls, including four fours and three sixes, the GTs’ bowling department proved too strong. Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma were particularly impressive, each taking four wickets.

Unfortunately, DC and SRH have already been eliminated from the race for the playoffs, as they can only achieve a maximum of 12 points in the remaining matches.

Here are the scenarios for the other franchises:

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG’s thrilling five-run victory against the Mumbai Indians has kept their hopes of finishing in the top two alive, and even qualifying for the next round. To secure their spot, they must win their last game against the Kolkata Knight Riders and hope that the Chennai Super Kings lose in Delhi. If both teams finish on 17 points, the result margins will determine who advances, as the net run rates are currently neck and neck: 0.304 for the Super Giants and 0.381 for the Super Kings.

Mumbai Indians

After their loss in Lucknow, Mumbai Indians are now in a precarious position. Even if they win their upcoming game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, they will still need to rely on other results. This is because three teams have the potential to finish with more than 16 points, which is the maximum that Mumbai can achieve. Additionally, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab can also reach 16 points. RCB has an impressive net run rate (NRR) of 0.166, which is likely to improve further if they win their next two games. In comparison, Mumbai Indians have an NRR of -0.128.

Punjab Kings

Considering their unfavorable net run rate, it is highly improbable for the Kings to secure the fourth spot with only 14 points. In order to have a chance, they must win their remaining two matches and accumulate a total of 16 points. Even then, they will likely need other teams’ results to work in their favor, as the Royal Challengers Bangalore currently share the same number of points with a significantly superior run rate.

The Kings’ first step towards this goal is to secure a resounding victory against the Delhi Capitals, who currently sit at the bottom of the table. Although the match will be played at their home ground, it will take place in Dharamsala rather than Mohali.

Chennai Super Kings

The recent defeat of Mumbai has given Chennai Super Kings (CSK) a boost in their chances of finishing in the top two. In the event that both CSK and LSG win their final game, the deciding factor will be run rates. Currently, CSK holds a slight advantage in this regard, but the margin is not significant. If they manage to win their last game by 10 runs, the Super Giants will need to win by approximately 29 runs to surpass them on NRR.

However, if CSK loses to the Capitals, they could potentially be knocked out of the running altogether, as there are five other teams that could finish with more than 15 points. Nevertheless, if other results go their way, CSK could still secure a second-place finish without adding to their tally.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB currently holds the upper hand with their superior Net Run Rate (NRR) compared to other teams vying for 16 points. However, to make this advantage count, they must secure a couple of wins, or at the very least, one. Winning two games would significantly increase their chances of qualifying, thanks to their impressive NRR, which received a significant boost from their remarkable 112-run victory against the Royals.

Moreover, RCB has the added advantage of playing the last game of the league stage, which happens to be a home game against Gujarat Titans. This means that they will have a clear understanding of what they need to do to secure their spot. However, their last game could be rendered meaningless if they fail to win their away game in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Rajasthan Royals

The Royals are currently in a precarious position, as they can only hope to reach a maximum of 14 points. This means that they are reliant on other teams’ results to fall in their favor if they want to qualify for the playoffs. However, there is still a glimmer of hope for the Royals, as they are one of five teams that could potentially finish on 14 points. Despite their recent defeat against the Royal Challengers, the Royals’ net run rate of 0.140 is second only to that of the Royal Challengers’ 0.166.

Kolkata Knight Riders

To increase their chances of advancing, KKR must secure a decisive victory in their final game while hoping for losses from the Royals, RCB, and Mumbai. If this scenario plays out, a three-way tie on 14 points between KKR, Kings, and Mumbai will occur. Currently, all three teams have negative net run rates (NRRs), but KKR has a realistic shot at surpassing the other two. By winning with a margin of 20 runs and scoring 180, KKR’s NRR will improve to -0.161, which is comparable to Mumbai Indians’ current rate.

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