IPL 2024 Playoffs qualification scenarios explained: GT stays alive after beating CSK, What each needs to do to qualify?

The Indian Premier League 2024 is into its home stretch with as many as eight teams in the hunt to grab a playoffs spot.

Punjab Kings on Thursday joined Mumbai Indians in the list of teams eliminated from this season.

HERE IS HOW THE IPL POINTS TABLE LOOKS RIGHT NOW

Though Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals have the most points so far, even they have not secured a place in the crunch phase of IPL 2024.

Sportstar takes you through what every team needs to do to make it to the next phase of the competition:

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

Kolkata Knight Riders has 16 points from 11 games and can get to a maximum of 22 points. One win for the side will guarantee a spot in the top four as no other side apart from the current top four can secure 18 points or more.

The Shreyas Iyer-led side, however, would want to secure the full points up for grabs to boost its chances of playing in the Qualifier 1. It plays Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals next.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Rajasthan Royals has the same number of points as KKR in as many games but sits second only due to an inferior net run rate. One more win will assure a playoffs spot.

It plays Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings and KKR in its remaining fixtures and winning all would help it finish in the top two.

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has 14 points from 12 games and its net run rate saw a healthy jump after its mauling of Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday.

Although the qualification threshold remains 18 points for SRH too. But if Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lose one game each, SRH can secure a spot with just 16 points as well.

If it loses both its remaining games, it would hope DC and LSG also do not get more than 14 points to stay in the hunt via net run rate.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

Chennai Super Kings is one of the three teams fighting it out for potentially the fourth and final spot. CSK has 12 points from 12 games and would want to all remaining games – against Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru – to stay in the hunt.

If CSK loses both games, one of LSG and DC will advance through. Ruturaj & Co can also be involved in a potential tie at 14 points with as many as four other teams.

Even with two wins, CSK will need to rely on Net Run Rate if either of DC or LSG wins both games.

DELHI CAPITALS

Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants are direct contenders for a spot as both have 12 points from 12 games. The two face off later in the tournament.

For DC to qualify safely, it needs to get its maximum-possible tally of 16 points, and hope CSK loses two of its remaining games.

The side can also be locked at the same number of points, either 14 or 16, depending on various results, for which it needs to start working on improving its net run rate..

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

Lucknow Super Giants did not help its cause when it went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad tamely. If it loses to DC also, it needs at least 14 points to stay in the hunt on net run rate.

Further, the fact that it plays its final two games away from home does not help its case. Out of all the teams in the middle-table scrap, LSG is the worst-positioned to make it.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU

Royal Challengers Bengaluru has 10 points in 12 games and can get to a maximum of 14 it wins its remaining two.

If CSK loses all its games and DC vs LSG gets washed out, RCB will qualify as the sole team with 14 points. However, this is an unlikely scenario and RCB will need its net run rate to contend for the last spot.

It plays DC and CSK in its remaining matches.

GUJARAT TITANS

Gujarat Titans stayed in the hunt with a win over CSK on Friday. It now has 10 points from 12 games. Though its chances are slim, GT has to hope of getting to 14 points.

Even if GT wins all its games, it will still need to rely on other results going its way to stay in the hunt via Net Run Rate.