Following Kolkata Knight Riders’ win over the Mumbai Indians in Kolkata, the race for the one remaining play-off spot is heating up in the IPL. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans already through, four teams are still in contention and all have just one fixture remaining to play.
The Indian Express take a look at the scenarios…
With 14 points and a game in hand against , they remain the favourites to qualify. Should they win the match at the Wankhede on Sunday afternoon, Rajasthan will make it as the fourth team. Not just that should and lose their last match, Rajasthan have an opportunity to finish above them in the second spot provided they improve their net run-rate. Since the match against Mumbai is the penultimate league game, they will have a clear idea of where they stand. In case they fail to win their last game, and can overtake them with 15 points.
Six straight defeats has put them on the brink. Even if they beat in their last league game on Saturday, they will have to wait till the last league game to find out their fate. In the likelihood of Rajasthan losing, and winning the last game, it will come down to net run-rate as they would be level on points.
Appeared down and out. But have managed to stay in the hunt going into the last game. Playing the last game of the league phase, KKR would know their fate even before they take the field against . In case Rajasthan lose their game, but Punjab move to 15 points, then KKR will know what it takes mathematically to make the play-offs. While beating Delhi, they should do so with a margin of 61 runs or more to take the final play-off spot.
The win against Gujarat Titans is a must. From there on, they will need help from all the above mentioned teams. For to qualify they need to win on Thursday by a margin of 25 runs or more and then hope Rajasthan, Punjab and Kolkata don’t win their matches.
Though three teams are already through, none of them is assured of a top-two finish yet which will give them two shots at making the final. Should Gujarat beat , they will end up in the top two. Similarly, can also go top with a win over on Friday. However, if SRH win, then three teams will be tied on 18 points and bring the NRR into play. Even then the chances of RCB finishing in top two is less as they have to lose by at least 87 runs or more.
