IPL 2023 playoff scenarios: CSK on the brink of qualification, RCB hanging on | Cricket

Delhi Capitals became the first team to officially drop out of the race for the top four on Saturday after a 31-run drubbing by Punjab Kings. Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, lost their match on Saturday and got the same number of points as DC, but they still have a very unlikely but not impossible chance of grabbing a spot in the top four. SRH have played one game less than DC so they have three matches left in this season. Wins from all three matches will take their points tally to 14, which is above current fourth-placed LSG’s tally of 13. Beyond that, though, they need a lot of other results to get on their way, which seems highly unlikely at the moment.

On the other hand, Saturday’s winners LSG and PBKS have given their opportunities much-needed boosts. PBKS is on 12 points and is one point behind fourth place LSG. However, they are tied with RR, whose net speed is now almost out of PBKS’s reach.

CSK almost over, KKR almost over

Chennai Super Kings will face Kolkata Knight Riders in one of two matches on Sunday. They currently have 15 points and a win here would take them to 17, putting them out of reach of fifth-placed Rajasthan Royals. This means that CSK can become the first team to mathematically qualify for the playoffs. On the other hand, a loss would be curtain call for KKR. They have 10 points and this is one of two games left.

A must win for RR, RCB are on the brink

The second match of the day is between RR and RCB. A win for RR would take them to 14 points, which would help them jump from fifth to third thanks to a positive net walk percentage. RCB’s win, however, makes it three sides just one point behind fourth place, making it an NRR game with RR going into Sunday ahead of all but the top-placed Gujarat Titans. In fact, if KKR win their game against CSK and RCB beat RR, we would have an attractive prospect of up to seven teams fighting for the last two qualifying spots in these remaining league games. On the other hand, the losses of RCB and KKR narrow down the possible final contenders to possibly MI, LSG, RR and PBKS.