MUMBAI: The IPL 2024 Playoffs race now has five teams vying for two available slots. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have already sealed two spots. That leaves five teams – Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, SunRisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants – fighting for the remaining two spots. Barring SRH, all the other teams have only one match remaining. It means that net run-rates will most probably come in to play to decide the final spot for the IPL 2024 playoffs.
According to IPL 2024’s official broadcasters Star Sports, SunRisers Hyderabad have 87.3 percent chance to qualify. It is much more than Chennai Super Kings (72.7 percent) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (39.3 percent). DC have 0.7 percent chance of qualifying while LSG have 0.2 percent chance of qualifying.
The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings have a good chance. The have 14 points in 13 matches (NRR +0.528). If they beat RCB, they are through. A loss against RCB in the final league game won’t knock the defending champions out either. They would then hope that RCB do not surpass them on NRR. If LSG win their last game (and reach 14), CSK will still be favourites to go through due to a much superior NRR. They would also hope SRH (14 from 12 games) lose both their matches, so that they have it easy.
Wins in the remaining two matches will guarantee a playoff spot for SRH. Even if they lose one of their matches, they will still go through. If they lose both their game, then it will all come down to net run-rate. If SRH lose both of their remaining matches while LSG and RCB win their last games, the Pat Cummins-led side will have to depend on the NRR to be in the top 4. If CSK beat RCB, and SRH lose both their games, they will hope to keep better run-rate than LSG and DC to grab that last play-off spots.
With a five-match winning streak, RCB have had a massive turnaround. They won only one out of their first seven games but since then it’s a different side altogether. For RCB to qualify, they have to beat Chennai Super Kings to reach 14 points. They would then hope that their NRR is above the other sides vying for the fourth spot in the playoffs. They would also hope SRH to lose both their remaining games or LSG don’t win their last match by a big margin.
