How Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad can make the IPL playoffs
Four teams, three spots, two games - it's all going down to the wire
S Rajesh
01-Nov-2020
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Kolkata Knight Riders' emphatic 60-run win has pushed them close to qualification, while the result margin of the Delhi Capitals-Royal Challengers Bangalore game on Monday becomes hugely important. Here is a look at who will make the playoffs depending on the results of the last two games.
Scenario 1
Game 1: Capitals score 160 and win by 21 runs or fewer, or chase down 161 in 17.3 or more overs
Game 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians
The Capitals will secure second place with 16 points, but the relatively narrow margin of defeat will ensure that the Royal Challengers will end up with a higher net run rate than Knight Riders. In that case, if Sunrisers win their last game, then Knight Riders will be knocked out.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Royal Challengers Bangalore
Scenario 2
Game 1: Capitals score 160 and win by at least 22 runs, or chase down 161 by 17.2 overs
Game 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians
The Capitals will still finish second, but the Royal Challengers' NRR will fall below that of the Knight Riders. In that case, if Sunrisers win on Tuesday, then the Royal Challengers will be knocked out. The Sunrisers will occupy third place because of their higher NRR.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Kolkata Knight Riders
Scenario 3
Game 1: The Royal Challengers score 160 and win by 18 runs or fewer, or chase down 161 in 18 or more overs
Game 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians
A win for the Royal Challengers on Monday will push them into second place with 16 points, but if the margin is relatively small, then the Capitals will stay ahead of the Knight Riders on NRR. In that situation, if the Sunrisers win on Tuesday, then the Knight Riders will be knocked out.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers Bangalore, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Delhi Capitals
Scenario 4
Game 1: The Royal Challengers score 160 and win by at least 19 runs, or chase down 161 by 17.5 overs
Game 2: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians
If the Royal Challengers win by 19 or more runs defending 160, or if they chase down the target of 161 within 17.5 overs, then the Capitals' NRR will fall below that of the Knight Riders. In that case, the fourth playoff place will go to the Knight Riders.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers Bangalore, 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, 4. Kolkata Knight Riders
Scenario 5
Game 1: Delhi Capitals beat Royal Challengers
Game 2: Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad
If the Sunrisers lose to Mumbai Indians, they will be eliminated, and the last four teams will all finish on 12 points. Both the Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers will qualify, with the third and fourth positions depending on the margin of the result of Monday's game.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Delhi Capitals, 3 & 4. Kolkata Knight Riders & Royal Challengers Bangalore
Scenario 6
Game 1: Royal Challengers beat Delhi Capitals
Game 2: Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad
If the Royal Challengers win on Monday and the Sunrisers lose on Tuesday, then the Knight Riders and the Capitals will take third and fourth place, with their respective positions depending on the margin of Monday's result.
In the case of the last two scenarios, the top four teams on the points table will be the same as the ones who occupied those slots at the halfway stage of the tournament. After 28 games, the top four, in that order, were Mumbai Indians, Capitals, Royal Challengers, and Knight Riders.
Top four teams
1. Mumbai Indians, 2. Royal Challengers, 3 & 4. Kolkata Knight Riders & Delhi Capitals
S Rajesh is stats editor of ESPNcricinfo. @rajeshstats