The IPL 2020 is heading into the last week of the league games and yet there is no clarity on which four teams will make it to the playoffs. Only Chennai Super Kings are the team that have been officially knocked out of the playoff race but there is a tough fight for four spots between seven teams either directly or mathematically.
IPL 2020 has seen 48 games being completed. The tournament is into the sixth week. Yet, we do not have any team that has sealed their spot in the playoffs. The resurgence of some teams, the inconsistency of the others as well as losses at crucial intervals has made the IPL 2020 points table very interesting. Three of the top teams are tied on 14 points and they are separated only by Net Run-Rate. Two teams are tied on 12 points and two are tied on 10 points. The gap from number one to number seven is just four points. Chennai Super Kings, the three-time champions under MS Dhoni, are the only team to have been knocked out officially.
This is an unprecedented situation in the IPL. There is a possibility that we will only get clarity of the top four teams potentially when the final game is played which is on November 3 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in Sharjah. The 56th game could see all four teams sealing their spot in the playoffs.
Due to the fact that seven teams are separated by just four points, the normal playoff qualifying mark of 16 points is not a guarantee that teams will qualify for the playoffs. We could have a situation where all teams end up on 10 or more points and a side with 16 points also gets eliminated. Here is what each team needs to do in order to seal the playoff spot
Mumbai Indians
P – 11, W – 7, L – 4, Points – 14, NRR (1.252)
Games remaining: vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (October 28), vs Delhi Capitals (October 31), vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (November 3)
What they must do: If they win two out of their remaining three games, they will seal their spot in the playoffs. If they win one, preferably against Royal Challengers Bangalore, they will have to hope RCB lose to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals beat RCB by a small margin. If they lose all their remaining three games, they could be eliminated.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
P – 11, W – 7, L – 4, Points – 14, NRR (0.092)
Games remaining: vs Mumbai Indians (October 28), vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (October 31), vs Delhi Capitals (November 2)
What they must do: If they win two out of their remaining games, they are through to the playoffs. If they win only one, they will have to hope that it is against Mumbai Indians and that their losses against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals are not too big. If they lose all three games, they will be eliminated.
Delhi Capitals
P – 12, W – 7, L – 5, Points – 14, NRR (0.03)
Games remaining: vs Mumbai Indians (October 31), vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (November 2)
What they must do: Delhi Capitals have suffered a massive dip in momentum at the wrong time. They have lost three consecutive games on the trot and they now face the top two sides in their last two games. A loss in either game could see them getting upstaged by either Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. If they win both their games, they are through to the playoffs but a loss will knock them out. Delhi Capitals must win one game, preferably against RCB as Mumbai Indians’ net run-rate could more or less seal their playoff spot.
Kings XI Punjab
P – 12, W – 6, L – 6, Points – 12, NRR (-0.049)
Games remaining: vs Rajasthan Royals (October 30), vs Chennai Super Kings (November 01)
What they must do: The game against Rajasthan Royals is a virtual shootout. If they win that game, they knock Rajasthan Royals out of contention. If they win both their games, they will get to 16. In order to seal their playoff spot, they must hope Delhi Capitals lose both games to RCB and Mumbai Indians and that RCB lose to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. If Kings XI Punjab win both games by a big margin, they could finish even in the top two.
Kolkata Knight Riders
P – 12, W – 6, L – 6, Points – 12, NRR (-0.479)
Games remaining: vs Chennai Super Kings (October 29), vs Rajasthan Royals (November 1)
What they must do: They have to win both their games. If they lose to Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab win against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, they will be eliminated. If they win both, then they have to hope that Kings XI Punjab beat Rajasthan Royals but lose to Chennai Super Kings. They can also benefit if Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bangalore but lose to Mumbai Indians. If Kolkata Knight Riders lose both games, they will be eliminated.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
P – 12, W – 5, L – 7, Points – 10, NRR (0.396)
Games remaining: vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (October 31), vs Mumbai Indians (November 3)
What they must do: If they lose any one game, they are out. They can still qualify for the playoffs by winning both games. If they win both, they have to hope that Kolkata Knight Riders loses to both Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings and that Rajasthan Royals lose to Kings XI Punjab. If Kings XI Punjab lose to Chennai Super Kings, then Sunrisers Hyderabad’s superior net run-rate could keep them in the hunt.
Rajasthan Royals
P – 12, W – 5, L – 7, Points – 10 NRR (-0.505)
Games remaining: vs Kings XI Punjab (October 30), vs Kolkata Knight Riders (November 1)
What they must do: Rajasthan Royals’ net run-rate is the worst among all the contenders. They have to win by big margins against both Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders. If they lose any one game, they are out of the competition. If they win both, they have to hope RCB loses to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. Rajasthan Royals will then be hoping that Sunrisers Hyderabad lose to Mumbai Indians and that Kolkata Knight Riders suffer a big loss to Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab also lose to MS Dhoni’s team.
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