The IPL 2022 is in its final leg with DC and RCB fighting hard to secure the 4th spot in the play-offs. Lucknow SuperGiants fixed their spot in the playoffs by winning a nail-biting game against KKR. With four league games remaining, there are officially two slots up for grabs, but Rajasthan Royals, who are in third place with 16 points, are all but assured of a playoff berth. Let us look at the qualification scenario.
For Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals will play their last game of the league against Chennai Super Kings on Friday. Irrespective of the game results, the team will automatically qualify. A win against Chennai will solidify the top 2 spots for the Royals. However, if they do not manage to win the game, with a net run rate of +0.304 and 16 points, they will stay in the 3rd position. If it becomes a three-way tie on 16 points, DC does not have a greater net run rate. RCB, who have a low NRR, must beat table-toppers Gujarat Titans by a large margin in their final game to surpass RR on the table.
How can RCB qualify for the IPL play-offs?
Royal Challengers Bangalore will play their last game against the table-toppers Gujarat Titans. RCB started their campaign with a good 5 wins out of 7 games in the first leg of the tournament, however, the latter half wasn’t that great for them. This makes it a do-or-die game for RCB tonight. But, a win tonight alone will not be enough to get the qualification tag. RCB would want MI to defeat DC in their final game, as a win by Delhi will indeed effectively end their chances. If RCB loses its final game and the points RCB and DC end up at 14 points then RCB is doubtful to enter the playoffs as DC has a higher net run rate.
Delhi Capitals qualification scenario
Currently at the 4th position, if DC wins their final league game on Saturday, they will almost certainly make the playoffs. Their positive net run rate of +0.255 will help them reach the final four. However, even with the win Delhi could be eliminated if RCB defeat Gujarat Titans by a large margin and reach 16 points. If there is a three-way tie on 14 points and DC loses their final game, they should hope that RCB loses their final game and that neither Punjab Kings nor SRH improves their Net Run Rate.
What can open the IPL play-off door for Punjab and SRH?
Both the teams will play their last game against each other on Sunday. With 12 points and a negative Net Run Rate of -0.043, the Punjab Kings sit in sixth place. They will need a massive win over SRH in their final league game to stay in contention for the playoffs. PBKS will also wish for RCB and DC to not win their last games. This will result in a 14-point tie. PBKS will also want DC to lose their final game by a large margin to jump to fourth place. SRH has a similar equation, but their net run rate (-0.230) makes things more difficult for them. SRH will need to beat PBKS by a large margin and pray that both DC and RCB lose their last matches.
