IPL 8 Team Standings: How they stack up
Captains of the teams share the podium at the inaugaration ceremony.
The fight for the play-off spot is still wide open. If teams are locked on the same number of points, the number of wins take precedence over the net run-rate. With this principle, here are some of the possible scenarios.
Chennai Super Kings
Having already accumulated seven wins and 16 points, CSK have ensured that they will make it to the playoffs regardless of how the results go from here on. But they could finish in the top-two if they beat bottom-placed Kings XI Punjab on Saturday, and play the Eliminator at the Wankhede Stadium.
Mumbai Indians
With Mumbai’s win on Thursday, the fight for the playoff spots has been thrown wide open, as they’ve climbed to the fourth spot. Now they need to beat Sunrisers in their last league encounter or hope that Rajasthan Royals lose to KKR. That means if the Royals win on Saturday, Mumbai have no choice but to beat Sunrisers.
Kolkata Knight Riders
If KKR win against the Rajasthan Royals, then they are through and might even finish in the top-two on the table. But if they lose at CCI, they have to hope Sunrisers win both their remaining matches to finish with 18 or RCB lose both their matches and remain. If RCB lose to SRH and beat Delhi in their last match, then KKR can still go through if they finish with a better net run-rate.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
The Sunrisers Hyderabad can go through with just a solitary win, either against the RCB on Friday or against Mumbai on Sunday. If Hyderabad lose both their matches, then they will have to bank on both Mumbai and Rajasthan losing their final matches.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore have to ideally win both their matches to go through. If they lose both then they won’t make the playoffs yet again despite all the firepower in their batting-order. If they lose one of the two matches, they have to hope KKR lose to the Royals and end up on an inferior net run-rate (which is the case presently). Or they have to beat Sunrisers and hope KKR win.
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals are in the most precarious position of them all. If they win, they still aren’t guaranteed a spot. They will still hope that no other team finishes on 16 points. If they lose, they still have a chance but for that Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will have to lose their remaining matches.
Source:: Indian Express