IPL 2023: Playoffs qualification scenarios for all teams

IPL 2023: As the Playoffs race heats up, here is a look at the qualification chances and scenarios of each of the 10 teams.

With 18 matches remaining, all 10 teams are mathematically still in contention to make the IPL 2023 Playoffs. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU/AGENCIES

The IPL 2023 Playoffs race is heating up, with all 10 teams still in contention heading into the final fortnight of the league stage.

With 18 matches remaining, certain teams have been able to consolidate a stable position in the standings while the others are scrambling to fix their woes and make one final push to qualify for the last four.

POINTS TABLE AFTER CSK vs DC

The league stage ends on May 21, with the playoffs beginning in Chennai on May 23. The final will be played in Ahmedabad on May 28.

Here is a look at the playoff scenarios for all teams:

Gujarat Titans (11 matches, 16 points)

The defending champion Gujarat Titans has once again emerged as the team to beat with a clinical performance in the league stage. While it has lost three matches, all at home, Hardik Pandya’s men have reached the 16-point mark in 11 matches. In IPL 2022, 16 points (eight wins) were enough for the top four teams to qualify. However, with a stiff battle brewing between the teams this time, the Titans may need to go one step ahead and seal their playoff spot with a ninth win.

Gujarat Titans remaining matches schedule

• Match 57: Mumbai Indians v Gujarat Titans, May 12 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
• Match 62: Gujarat Titans v Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 15 - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
• Match 70: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans, May 15 - M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Chennai Super Kings (12 matches, 15 points)

Four-time winner Chennai Super Kings snapped a three-match winless streak with a win over Mumbai Indians last week. MS Dhoni’s men consolidated their position in the standings with their sixth win. While rain snatched full points in a game against the Lucknow Super Giants, CSK is still poised to make the playoffs with three games in hand. CSK will need to win at least two of its three games to officially seal a top-two Playoff spot. The Super Kings have two home games before their final game away against the bottom-placed Delhi Capitals. Even if it slips up, CSK could also narrowly make the playoffs with 15 points, as teams placed immediately below them on the points table will face each other in the upcoming games, the results of which may also reduce the cut-off mark.

With its win over Delhi Capitals, CSK inched closer to a Playoffs spot. CSK would just require one more win to seal the spot and two wins may even hand it the top spot, if GT fumbles in its remaining games.

Chennai Super Kings remaining matches schedule

• Match 55: Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Capitals, May 10 - M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - WON
• Match 61: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, May 14 - M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
• Match 67: Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings, May 19 - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Lucknow Super Giants (11 matches, 11 points)

While it made the playoffs smoothly last time, the Lucknow Super Giants has endured a bumpy ride this year after winning only one of its last five matches. LSG is placed third with 11 points and three games to go. LSG can confirm qualification with three wins. Lucknow plays one game at home and two away, and it could miss out on the last four if it loses at least one match, finishing with a maximum of 15 points.

Lucknow Super Giants remaining matches schedule

• Match 58: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Lucknow Super Giants, May 13 - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
• Match 63: Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians, May 14 - Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
• Match 68: Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants, May 20 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Rajasthan Royals (12 matches, 12 points)

Despite recording their fifth defeat in six matches against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Jaipur, the Rajasthan Royals have managed to cling onto the fourth spot thanks to the brilliant start of their campaign, where they won five of their first six games. With 10 points and three games remaining, Sanju Samson’s men have been forced into an uphill task to qualify for the playoffs.

While the route may be challenging, the Royals can take out their direct rivals to make the playoffs. Rajasthan faces Kolkata (8 points) next before hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore (10), before closing its league stage away against the Punjab Kings (10). With three wins, the Royals would have ensured that at least three teams were out of the race, and the last two spots could effectively boil down to a case of net run rate (NRR) between four to five teams.

An emphatic nine-wicket win over KKR has helped RR get back on the rails with a boost in its NRR. If it manages to see off RCB and PBKS, RR’s positive NRR could well earn it a Playoff spot above other teams that could end up at 16 points.

Rajasthan Royals remaining matches schedule

• Match 56: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals, May 11 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - WON
• Match 60: Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 14 - Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
• Match 66: Punjab Kings v Rajasthan Royals, May 19 - HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala

Royal Challengers Bangalore (11 matches, 10 points)

Royal Challengers Bangalore, like Rajasthan, finds itself with 10 points but with four games in hand. Faf du Plessis and Co. can dream of a playoff spot if they manage to get the job done over direct rivals in the first three of their remaining four matches. If it drops points along the way, RCB would require the calculators to be out again before fractional NRR differences could see one team qualifying over the other.

RCB cannot afford more than one defeat in its remaining matches. Its challenge is also heightened by the fact that it has to play three successive away games before the league stage clash in Bengaluru.

With a defeat to MI, RCB finds itself in dire straits. It will require to beat RR and SRH in away games and also win against GT at home to reach 16 points and hope its NRR will take it through.

Royal Challengers Bangalore remaining matches schedule

• Match 54: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 9 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - LOST
• Match 60: Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 14 - Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
• Match 65: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 18 - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
• Match 70: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Gujarat Titans, May 21 - M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Mumbai Indians (11 matches, 12 points)

Despite a largely lacklustre campaign, the Mumbai Indians is alive in the playoff race due to its batting depth. While a win over CSK could have boosted its chances, the five-time champion now finds itself in the thick of the competition, sharing the 10-point stack with three teams.

With four wins from here, MI can even target a top-two finish. Three wins could also hold it in good stead during the final lap. However, Rohit Sharma’s men must do well to improve on their NRR in case the playoffs boil down to that.

A win over RCB has bolstered MI’s Playoffs chances. It is just a point below second-placed CSK and still has two games to be played at home in the last three rounds.

Mumbai Indians remaining matches schedule

• Match 54: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 9 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - WON
• Match 57: Mumbai Indians v Gujarat Titans, May 12 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
• Match 63: Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians, May 16 - Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
• Match 69: Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 21 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Punjab Kings (11 matches, 10 points)

Punjab Kings’ form fizzled out after its positive start under new captain Shikhar Dhawan this season. With 10 points from as many matches, PBKS shares similar concerns with RCB and MI. With four games in hand, the Kings can even target 18 points as its remaining games are slotted with teams who are on same points or below it on the points table.

However, PBKS has two away games in Kolkata and Delhi before hosting RR and DC in Dharamsala where it is yet to play a game this season. With three wins, PBKS can once again find itself locked with at least three teams at 16 points, a mark where the NRR could be the separating factor.

With a defeat to KKR, Punjab has botched its chances of reaching 18 points. This means Punjab can now only target a 16-point finish where the NRR poised to make a big impact this time.

Punjab Kings remaining matches schedule

• Match 53: Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings, May 8 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - LOST
• Match 59: Delhi Capitals v Punjab Kings, May 13 - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Match 64: Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals, May 17 - HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
• Match 66: Punjab Kings v Rajasthan Royals, May 19 - HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala

Kolkata Knight Riders (12 matches, 10 points)

Two-time winner and 2021 runner-up Kolkata Knight Riders’ iffy campaign has placed it on the brink of an early exit. At best, KKR can reach 16 points with four wins in its remaining games. KKR hosts three teams placed above it on the points table at home while travelling to Chennai. A loss before its final round would effectively prevent KKR from even entering the NRR contenders at 16 points.

With its win over PBKS, KKR moved into a safer position in the mid-table muddle at 10 points. KKR still needs three wins in its remaining three games to stay in contention for the Playoffs.

A loss to RR has damaged KKR’s chances for the Playoffs. With two wins, it can get to a best of 14 points and hope that other teams in contention fumble along the way.

Kolkata Knight Riders remaining matches schedule

• Match 53: Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings, May 8 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - WON
• Match 56: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals, May 11 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata - LOST
• Match 64: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, May 14 - M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
• Match 68: Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants, May 20 - Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Sunrisers Hyderabad (10 matches, 8 points)

Sunrisers Hyderabad has dramatically kept itself alive in the race after a stunning last-ball win over RR in Jaipur. SRH, like KKR, is one loss away from losing out on the playoff race. The 2016 winner can effectively be the party-pooper for LSG, MI, and RCB while setting itself up for a 16-point finish, beyond which the NRR calculations may decide the third and fourth spots on the standings.

Sunrisers Hyderabad remaining matches schedule

• Match 58: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Lucknow Super Giants, May 13 - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
• Match 62: Gujarat Titans v Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 15 - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
• Match 65: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore, May 18 - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
• Match 69: Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad, May 21 - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Delhi Capitals (11 matches, 8 points)

With eight points from 10 matches and a negative NRR, there are few realistic targets that the Delhi Capitals can aim for from here. DC only plays two opponents in its last four rounds: two challenging matches against CSK and two versus PBKS. A string of surprises may propel it to 16 points. However, DC needs to win big in all these games to improve its NRR. A defeat will knock David Warner’s side out of the playoff race.

With its seventh defeat coming against CSK, DC’s Playoffs hopes are all but over. With three games remaining, DC can get to a maximum of 14 points, which will in all likelihood be surpassed by at least two-three teams besides GT and CSK .

Delhi Capitals remaining matches schedule

• Match 55: Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Capitals, May 10 - M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai - LOST
• Match 59: Delhi Capitals v Punjab Kings, May 13 - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Match 64: Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals, May 17 - HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
• Match 67: Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings, May 19 - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi