Six teams realistically have a chance to join KKR in the final four of IPL 2024 playoffs, with Gujarat Titans being the most recent club to be eliminated.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have secured a top-two finish thanks to Monday night’s washout in Ahmedabad, while Gujarat Titans (GT) have emerged as the third club eliminated from the fight for the playoffs. These are the requirements for the remaining teams to meet in order to advance.
How Teams Can Reach the Top Four of the IPL 2024 Playoffs
RCB Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
13, points, 12, played, NRR: 0.387
Match remaining: CSK (h)
Three weeks ago, when they fell by a run to KKR, their sixth consecutive loss, it appeared practically unthinkable for RCB to be in fifth place on the points table. However, they have now won five straight games, their most recent victory coming against DC. They may move up to 14 points when they play Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday. Currently, they are at 12 points. That could give them a chance to go to the playoffs, but only if other outcomes work out. RCB can’t advance past the 16 without being eliminated by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
In the event that other outcomes lead to a knockout in the RCB vs. CSK match, RCB will need to win by 18 runs (assuming they score 200) in order to surpass CSK in terms of net run-rate. By then, LSG would have completed both of their remaining games, while SRH would still have one game remaining, thus both RCB and CSK would have a fair idea of where they stand.
CSK Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
13, points scored, 14, NRR: 0.528
Match still ongoing: RCB (a)
Although they are now closer to securing a postseason berth, CSK’s victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) does not guarantee them a position in the tournament. Four teams, KKR, RR, SRH, and LSG, may still finish ahead of them on points if they lose against RCB and remain at 14.
If CSK defeats RCB in their most recent game, they will place among the top four because of their outstanding NRR. They must hope that at least one of SRH or LSG stays below 16 points if they lose against RCB. Aside from that, they need to lose by a little margin—as previously indicated—in order to maintain their run rate advantage over the RCB. Both CSK and RCB might qualify on 14 if SRH and LSG both remain on 14 or fewer points.
DC Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
13, points, played, and NRR were -0.482.
Match remaining: LSG (h)
DC’s net run rate dropped to -0.482 after their 47-run loss to RCB, far lower than that of SRH, CSK, and RCB. It is quite improbable that they will get in the top four, as their maximum score is 14. Their greatest chance is if CSK defeats RCB, SRH suffers crushing losses in their last two games, and LSG wins just one game while maintaining a run rate below DC.
Then, DC might be able to outpace SRH in run rate, but the chances of that happening are very slim: To overtake SRH, DC must defeat LSG by 64 runs even if SRH loses their next two games by a combined total of 150 runs (with the teams batting first reaching 200 runs). Therefore, it’s safe to conclude that DC’s IPL 2024 campaign is practically done.
RR Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
12, points scored, 16, NRR: 0.349
Matches left: KKR (h), PBKS (h)
After three straight losses, RR hasn’t guaranteed a postseason spot. There are still four teams who can score 16 or more, but LSG, with an NRR of -0.769, is one of those teams.
Even with two victories (and two losses for RR), it’s improbable that they will threaten RR’s run rate; yet, the Royals will require a victory or two to guarantee a top-two finish.
SRH Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
Played: 12, points: 14, NRR: 0.406
Remaining matches: GT (h), PBKS (h)
With a run rate of 0.406, SRH is far superior than LSG, and a victory in their next two games should guarantee qualifying.
They might even be able to finish in the top two with two victories. They might run into problems, though, if they lose both games, since both CSK and RCB could finish ahead of them in terms of NRR.
LSG Conditions To Reach IPL 2024 Playoffs
Played: 12, points: 12, NRR: -0.769
Remaining matches: DC (a), MI (a)
Due to their subpar net run rate, LSG needs 16 points to stay competitive. Even then, with their far higher NRRs, they might not be able to win if CSK and SRH also end on 16.
It is improbable that LSG can overtake the Royals in run rate, even if they lose two games.
