After the Punjab Kings crushed the Delhi Capitals by 31 runs on Saturday, the Delhi Capitals became the first side to be formally eliminated from the battle for the top four. On the other hand, despite losing their game on Saturday and finishing with the same amount of points as DC, the Sunrisers Hyderabad still have a slim but not impossible possibility of overtaking them for a position in the top four. SRH still has three games remaining to play this season even though they have played one less game than DC. If they win all three games, they’ll have 14, which is more than the current fourth-place club LSG has, which is 13. Aside from this, they also require a number of other outcomes to be favorable, all of which appear improbable at the moment.
On the other side, the Saturday victors, LSG and PBKS, have greatly improved their prospects. With 12 points, PBKS is one point behind LSG in fourth place. The net run rate of RR, whose points they share with, is now practically beyond PBKS’s grasp.
Nearly through for CSK, nearly out for KKR
One of two games on Sunday has the Chennai Super Kings taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders. With a victory today, they will increase their point total to 17, putting fifth-placed Rajasthan Royals out of reach. They now have 15 points. As a result, CSK may become the first group to logically qualify for the playoffs. A loss, though, would be the end for KKR. They still have two games remaining to play, and they are on 10 points.
must win, RCB on the verge of collapse
RR and RCB are the opponents in the other game of the day. Due to their favorable net run rate, RR would go up to 14 points and move from fifth to third if they were to win. However, if RCB wins, three teams would be only one point behind the fourth-placed team, making it a game of NRR, as RR leads all teams entering Sunday save the top-placed Gujarat Titans. In fact, if KKR defeats CSK and RCB defeats RR, there is a tantalizing possibility that up to seven clubs would compete for the last two qualifying spots in the remaining league games. Conversely, losses by RCB and KKR reduce the field of probable championship contenders to MI, LSG, RR, and PBKS.
