IPL Qualification Scenarios: What CSK, DC, MI, RCB need to do to make playoffs

IPL 2023 Playoff Qualification Scenarios: Mumbai Indians gave themselves a massive uplift in quest to make the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a convincing win over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday.

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The 6-wicket win for MI took them to third spot in the IPL points table with 12 points (six wins) from 11 matches played. They trail Chennai Super Kings, who are in action on Wednesday against Delhi Capitals, by one point. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans top the charts with 16 points and have all but assured themselves of an automatic berth.

Defeat for RCB, however, sees them occupy the seventh place with 10 points (five wins) from 11 matches. Also on 10 points are fifth placed Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders in sixth and Punjab Kings in eighth.

Delhi Capitals may be on the upward curve with four wins out of five but the impact of five consecutive defeats to start the season sees them occupy the bottom place.

We take a look at how MI and RCB are placed in qualification race after Match 54 in the IPL and what CSK, DC need to do ahead of their meeting at Chepauk.

Mumbai Indians (3rd, 12 points)

Schedule: vs GT (12 May), vs LSG (16 May), vs SRH (21 May)

Mumbai Indians can top the standings if they win all three of their matches and Gujarat Titans lose all of theirs. Even if that doesn’t transpire, MI have a good chance of remaining in the top-two for a shot at playing Qualifier 1. The first test will come in the form of GT at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday. For Rohit Sharma’s free scoring team, the challenge could come by virtue of their poor net run rate (-0.255) rather than an opposition.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (7th, 10 points)

Schedule: vs RR (14 May), vs SRH (18 May), vs GT (21 May)

RCB are in a must-win position. A do-or-die for the Faf du Plessis captained side who cannot afford another misstep. Their run of away games continue against Rajasthan in Jaipur and SunRisers in Hyderabad before closing the season out at home against Gujarat. Win in all three would take them to the magical number of 16 points. But circumventing the away games followed by the daunting challenge of beating GT makes this a big ask.

Chennai Super Kings (2nd, 13 points)

Schedule: vs DC (10 May), vs KKR (14 May), vs DC (20 May)

CSK are comfortably placed at second in the points table with 13 points and a healthy net run rate to boot. Two of their three matches are at Chepauk which traditionally has been a fortress. However, this season they’ve been 3-2 when playing in Chennai.

CSK have got home-and-away games against bottom placed Delhi which could clinch them the playoff spot. In an extreme case of three straight defeats, they might still take fourth spot. Two wins out of three matches will surely be enough to qualify and even with one, for 15 points, could see them make the knockouts.

Delhi Capitals (10th, 8 points)

Schedule: vs CSK (10 May), vs PBKS (13 May), vs PBKS (17 May), vs CSK (20 May)

DC have four matches to go and have home-and-away games against Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings. The sequence starts with a visit to Chennai to face CSK. Sitting last in the points table, DC have been on the up recently with four wins out of five matches.

If Delhi are able to win three of their four matches, taking themselves to 14 points, they could make the playoffs even with their poor net run rate (-0.529). However, even if they win all four matches and move to 16 points it may not be enough with other teams potentially hauling themselves to better marks. In that case, DC will need to focus on not just winning but also helping their net run rate.

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