OPINION
Follow UsThis article has been updated after Match 66 in which Lucknow Super Giants beat Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs to secure their place in the playoffs.
After 66 riveting games in the league phase of the Indian Premier League, the race for a spot in the playoffs is heating up.
The newly inducted Gujarat Titans have secured their place in the top-2, and the Super Giants are the second team through to the final four. With two spots up for grabs, we take a look at the way ahead for the teams.
We have not considered the Net Run Rate (NRR) and will only analyse how the results of each of their encounter can affect their fortunes in the tournament.
Gujarat Titans
Matches - 13 | Wins - 10 | Losses - 3 | Points - 20 | Qualification probability - Qualified
Remaining fixture: 19th May vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Wankhede Stadium, 7:30 PM
The first team to qualify for the playoffs, the Gujarat Titans have been one of the most consistent sides in the tournament and recorded 10 wins in 13 league matches. With 20 points, the Titans are assured of a top-two spot, allowing them two opportunities to reach the finals.
Lucknow Super Giants
Matches - 14 | Wins - 9 | Losses - 5 | Points - 18 | Qualification probability - Qualified
In a nail-biting encounter at the DY Patil Stadium, the Lucknow Super Giants edged past the Kolkata Knight Rider to reach 18 points and confirm their place in the playoffs.
While they are through to the next round, Lucknow are not assured of a top-two spot and will have to wait for Rajasthan’s last game against Chennai to determine their place in the points table. If Rajasthan manage to win, they will move to the second spot.
Rajasthan Royals
Matches - 13 | Wins - 8 | Losses - 5 | Points - 16 | Qualification probability - 99%
Remaining fixture: 20th May vs Chennai Super Kings, Brabourne Stadium, 7:30 PM
Rajasthan Royals bounced back in a commanding fashion to register a 24-run win against the Lucknow Super Giants on May 15 and move to 16 points.
While they have almost secured their place in the final four, a win against the Chennai Super Kings in their last league game at the Brabourne Stadium on May 20 will ensure a top-two finish for them.
Delhi Capitals
Matches - 13 | Wins - 7 | Losses - 6 | Points - 14 | Qualification probability - 81%
Remaining fixture: 21st May vs Mumbai Indians, Wankhede Stadium, 7:30 PM
The equation for Delhi in the tournament is simple - win their game against Mumbai Indians to seal their place in the playoffs.
They can qualify at 14 with their good NRR but then would want Bangalore to lose their last fixture and the winner of Punjab versus Hyderabad to not win by a big margin.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Matches - 13 | Wins - 7 | Losses - 6 | Points - 14 | Qualification probability - 19%
Remaining fixture: 19th May vs Gujarat Titans, Wankhede Stadium, 7:30 PM
Royal Challengers Bangalore were one of the firm favourites to reach the playoffs last week and even had a chance to finish on 18 points and have a shot at the top two spots.
However, Faf du Plessis-led side suffered a 54-run defeat against the Punjab Kings, denting their NRR further. The Challengers will face Gujarat Titans in their last league match and ought to win the contest to reach 16 points and stand a chance to progress further in the tournament.
Another area of concern for the Bangalore outfit is their NRR, which is -0.32. Among the top six teams currently, they are the only team to have a negative NRR.
For RCB to qualify: They will have to win their game and hope for Delhi to lose their last game. RCB cannot qualify on 14 points owing to poor NRR.
Punjab Kings
Matches - 13 | Wins - 6 | Losses - 7 | Points - 12 | Qualification probability - 0%
Remaining fixture: 22nd May vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Wankhede Stadium, 7:30 PM
Punjab Kings managed to keep their hopes alive in this competition by registering a comprehensive 54-run win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
However, in their do or die game against the Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings fell short by 17 runs and are currently seventh on the points table.
For Punjab, the equation is very simple, if Bangalore or Delhi win their last league game, the Mayank Agarwal-led outfit will be out of the competition.
However, if the two sides lose then Punjab can qualify if they win their last game against Sunrisers with a massive margin. The Kings would also want Delhi to lose by a big margin, which will dent their NRR.
Punjab King's NRR is currently negative and if they record a win against Hyderabad, the margin should be huge in order to overhaul the NRR of Delhi.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Matches - 13 | Wins - 6 | Losses - 7 | Points - 12 | Qualification probability - 0%
Remaining fixture: 22nd May vs Punjab Kings, Wankhede Stadium, 7:30 PM
After defeats in the last five matches, Sunrisers Hyderabad bounced back to edge past the Mumbai Indians by three runs in a thrilling encounter.
With the matches of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals set to take place before their fixture, a win for either of the two sides will be curtains for the Sunrisers.
If the two sides lose, Sunrisers can qualify if they record a win against Punjab with a big margin to get a positive NRR and also hope Delhi lose by a big margin against the Mumbai Indians. While Punjab Kings still can have an outside chance, the NRR of Sunrisers currently is 0.206, which makes their chances of progressing to the playoffs very bleak.
Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are out of the competition
