Note: This article has been updated after match No 55 between DC and RCB.
The 2020 edition of Indian Premier League has turned out to be one of the closest in terms of teams qualifying for playoffs. Till match No 53, only one team stood eliminated from playoffs. (Ironically, the only team that held a 100% playoff record before the season started: the Chennai Super Kings).
On Saturday, Mumbai Indians were assured of the top spot.
On Sunday, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals became the second and third teams to bow out of the playoffs race.
And on Monday, Delhi Capitals have assured their place in the top two, while Royal Challengers Bangalore also qualified for the playoffs.
The race is now between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Points table after Match No 54
| Team | Pld | Won | Lost | Net RR | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q | Mumbai Indians | 13 | 9 | 4 | +1.296 | 18 |
| Q | Delhi Capitals | 14 | 8 | 6 | -0.109 | 16 |
| Q | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 14 | 7 | 7 | -0.172 | 14 |
| 4 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 14 | 7 | 7 | -0.214 | 14 |
| 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 13 | 6 | 7 | +0.555 | 12 |
| OUT | Kings XI Punjab | 14 | 6 | 8 | -0.162 | 12 |
| OUT | Chennai Super Kings | 14 | 6 | 8 | -0.455 | 12 |
| OUT | Rajasthan Royals | 14 | 6 | 8 | -0.569 | 12 |
#IPL2020
— The Field (@thefield_in) October 31, 2020
What a season this is turning out to be. After 52 matches, only one team has mathematically qualified for the playoffs.
Take a bow, @mipaltan. pic.twitter.com/t67DRZ5WwG
Even after 48 matches played in the Indian Premier League, not a single team had made it officially to the playoffs of the 2020 edition. Mumbai Indians, with their win against Royal Challengers Bangalore, became the first team to reach 16 points and secured their place in the top four after KKR’s defeat against CSK.
Remaining fixtures in IPL 2020
| Match No | Teams | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | SRH vs MI | Sharjah | Nov 3 |
Mumbai Indians
Points: 18
Played: 13, Won: 9
Remaining matches: SRH
It was not official mathematically, but MI all but ensured their participation in the playoffs as they reached 16 points with a brilliant Net Run Rate after a win against RCB.
MI officially reached the playoffs after KKR lost against CSK in match No 49. That result also meant one of DC or RCB will definitely qualify on 16 points.
MI were assured of finishing No 1 on the table after RCB’s defeat against SRH. They have nothing to play for in the final match and that is good news, potentially, for SRH.
Delhi Capitals
Points: 16
Played: 14, Won: 7
With a comfortable win against RCB, DC ended their losing streak just in time to find that elusive win and qualify in the top two. They will face MI in Qualifier 1.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Points: 14
Played: 14, Won: 7
RCB lost the match against Delhi by a safe enough margin to qualify for playoffs with a better NRR than KKR. Despite four defeats on the trot, Virat Kohli and Co returned to the post-season for first time since 2016.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Points: 12
Played: 13, Won: 6
Remaining matches: MI
Interestingly, SRH had the tough proposition of finishing their campaign against RCB and MI in Sharjah. But after beating Kohli’s team convincingly, SRH took control of their fate.
David Warner and Co have found their groove in time. Nothing else matters but a win in their final match.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Points: 14
Played: 14, Won: 6
Remaining matches: RR
Target achieved for finishing on 14 points but automatic qualification eluded KKR, after they finished with a 60-run win. KKR went from 8th to 4th and improved NRR from -0.467 to -0.214. But RCB overtook that in defeat against DC.
KKR’s chances took a serious hit when they lost against CSK in Dubai but they are still alive.
Eoin Morgan and Co will be rooting for MI against SRH. It is worth noting that MI have nothing left to play for in match No 56.
Kings XI Punjab
Points: 12
Played: 14, Won: 6
The second team to be eliminated from playoffs race, as KXIP came up short against CSK to lose two in a row.
After six defeats in the first seven matches, KXIP mounted a serious comeback by winning five on the trot. But, when they had the chance make it six wins in a row, be in with the chance to reach 16 points and qualify without NRR coming into play, Punjab lost by a significant margin against Royals to make life harder for themselves.
KXIP received a shot in the arm on Saturday as DC and RCB’s heavy defeats pushed their NRRs below Punjab’s. But, ultimately, Rahul and Co could not make the most of it.
Chennai Super Kings
Points: 12
Played: 14, Won: 6
In 2020’s list of bizarre sporting developments, CSK being the first team out of playoff contention in the business end of IPL will be right up there. But, CSK played spoilsport in their last three matches.
And what more, they finished above RR on NRR.
Rajasthan Royals
Points: 12
Played: 14, Won: 6
Royals not only got eliminated in the playoffs race, but a 60-run defeat they finished below CSK on NRR and took the wooden spoon.
RR had the worst NRR among teams in the hunt to reach 14 points but, thanks to not taking the foot off the pedal in the run-chase against KXIP, it has improved from -0.505 to -0.377 (leapfrogging KKR’s).
The advantage RR had in the race for top four was that their last two matches were against direct rivals to qualify. But they missed out after a big defeat against Eoin Morgan and Co.
