IPL playoff scenarios: Which team will join Kolkata Knight Riders in top two?
Gujarat Titans became the third team to be knocked out of the Indian Premier League playoff race after their game against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out on Monday.
Use TOI’s interactive utility to see possible playoff scenarios
We look at the chances of the teams in contention:
*KKR now have a 75% chance of finishing sole toppers and a 25% chance of ending up in sole second spot, assuming no more matches get rained off.If they win their last game, they will top. They could top even if they lose their last game, provided RR don’t win both their remaining games.
* RR are not sure of topping even if they win their remaining games, but their chances of being sole toppers are a respectable 25%. They also have a nearly 40% chance of finishing sole second. But they are still not guaranteed qualification. If they lose both games, they could end up tied second with three other teams – SRH, CSK and LSG depending on results in other games.
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* Third placed CSK have a better than 90% chance of making the top four on points, singly or jointly, but their qualification is far from certain. They could end up tied second with three other teams (RR, SRH and LSG) or tied third with up to four other teams or tied for fourth with three other teams. What helps is their better net run rate at this stage than any of the other teams competing for the last two qualifying slots. Also, a loss against RCB in their last game will not necessarily rule them out.
* Fourth placed SRH have an even better chance (96.9%) of making it to the top four slots on points, singly or jointly, thanks to the extra game in hand. But they too are unsure of qualification with the possibility of four-way ties for second, five-way ties for third or three-way ties for fourth looming. The good news is that they don’t have to necessarily win both their remaining games.
* Fifth placed RCB’s chances of making it to the top four spots on points, singly or jointly, are just above 40%. Their last game against CSK is a must-win, but even winning it is not enough. Other results will need to go their way.
* Sixth placed DC’s chances of finishing among the top four on points, singly or jointly, are barely over 31%. And if they lose to LSG, the best they can hope for is sixth.
* For seventh placed LSG, the game against DC is not a must-win because they have another game in hand. The bad news, however, is that despite a 56% chance of making the top four slots on points, they are looking at possible ties with up to three teams for second, up to four teams for third and up to three teams for fourth and their NRR is the worst among all the teams they could tie with.
* Monday’s washed out game effectively ended GT‘s slim chances of qualification, making them the third team after MI and PBKS to get knocked out.