Just 8 days remain till the IPL playoffs get underway but only one team, KKR, has qualified so far. With one berth locked down, each passing moment, the decisive battle for the remaining three spots continues to get more and more aggressive.
Who will make it through and who will perish? Here is a quick breakdown of the seven contenders and how stubborn their final push needs to be.
For starters, this is what the points table currently looks like.
The race to IPL 2024 playoffs got even more intense after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru thrashed the Delhi Capitals on Sunday to make it 5 wins in a row.
The win helped RCB jump from 7th to the 5th spot on IPL 2024 points table while DC dropped to 6th. Both are sailing in the same boat with 12 points from 13 games each.
Other team stuck in the middle muddle are the 7th Lucknow Super Giants, who also have 12 points but have played a game less than RCB and DC.
Since the Rajasthan Royals also lost to the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, top-ranked Kolkata Knight Riders are the only side to have qualified so far.
RR remained in the 2nd spot with 16 poinst from 12 outings but have now lost 3 in a row.
CSK also did their campaign a world of good by returning to winning ways and 3rd in the table with 14 points from 13 games.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad are next in line on the 4th position with as many points as Chennai but have played a game less.
Gujarat Titans' campaign is also hanging by a thread as they are 8th in the table with 10 points from 12 games.
Mumbai Indians and the Punjab Kings have been eleminated.
KKR and RR
Table toppers KKR are the only team to have qualified for the playoffs with 18 points so far.
RR need a win to make the playoffs; if they lose last 2 games, they will make it on NRR-basis
CSK
The Chennai Super Kings took their points tally to 14 on Sunday and now need to win their last matchas well for SRH to lose a game to qualify.
Apart from that, the winner of DC vs LSG also has to lose their other game for CSK playoff spot.
SRH
The Sunrisers Hyderabad have 14 points and one win can seal their playoff spot. With more than one loss, net run rate will come into play for them.
RCB
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs as they have now won 5 games in a row. However, the only way for RCB to qualify is by winning their last game and hope for two of CSK/LSG/DC/SRH to end with 14 pts, then NRR-based qualifications.
DC and LSG
While DC is sailing in the same boat as RCB, LSG need 2 wins to go to 16 points while keeping NRR up. So, if CSK/SRH also finish on 16, then the team with poor NRR will be out.
GT
The only way for the Gujarat Titans to qualify is by winning their last 2 games and hope for two of CSK/LSG/DC/SRH to end with 14 pts, then NRR-based qualifications