Lucknow Super Giants gave their playoffs qualification chances a big push with a thrilling victory over 5-time champions Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 clash on Tuesday. With defending champions Gujarat Titans being the only side to have secured their spot int he playoffs, as many as 7 other teams are still in the fray for the remaining three positions. Had MI beaten LSG, they would’ve all but qualified for the next round but the win for Krunal Pandya‘s men has made the playoffs scenario even more complex.
Lucknow Super Giants:A victory in their final league game would see LSG sit on 17 points which would be enough for them to sail through. If they lose, the situation would become tricky as five other teams – Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings – can all have 16 points or more.
They can qualify with 15 points too but at least two other contenders shouldn’t end with 16 points or more for that to happen.
Mumbai Indians:With 14 points to their name, MI need to win their final game to be in a better position to qualify. Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, and LSG can also have 16 points or more. In such a case, Net Run Rate will come into picture.
If Mumbai end up losing their last game, things could get even more complicated, as five teams could potentially see themselves on 14 points, fighting for the last spot in the playoffs.
Chennai Super Kings:With 15 points to their name, CSK would qualify with a win in their next game, which is against Delhi Capitals. But a defeat puts them in a fix as 5 sides can potentially have 16 points or more at the end of the league stage.
A victory against DC could even see CSK finish among the top two sides.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:A healthy Net Run Rate of 0.166, thanks to their last win over Rajasthan Royals, puts RCB in a promising state. With wins in their last two matches, RCB can be all but sure of a spot in the playoffs. But a single defeat could be enough to jeopardise their case.
Punjab Kings:Net Run Rate of -0.268 is a problem for the Shikhar Dhawan-led side. For Punjab Kings to finish the league stage of the season among the top 4 sides, wins in both of the next two games are almost a necessity. A single defeat could see them get knocked out because of the poor NRR. Big wins in the next two games will certainly help their case.
Rajasthan Royals:One of the most promising sides of the season, Rajasthan Royals saw their entire season derail in the humiliating defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore last time around. They don’t just need to win their final game by a big margin but also hope for some other results to fall in their favour.
A total of 5 teams can finish with 14 points or more which makes the scenario quite complex. The first job for the Royals would be to beat Punjab Kings and then hope for the best.
Kolkata Knight Riders:With just 12 points to their name and an NRR of -0.256, KKR’s chances of playoffs qualification hang by a thread. They don’t just need to beat Lucknow Super Giants by a big margin but also hope that other contenders lose by big margins too. Their qualification, hence, depends on multiple results falling into place.
Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals have already been knocked out of the race.
