IPL 2020 | Qualification scenarios: Saturday madness puts RCB and DC’s hopes in jeopardy

10/31/2020

It has happened. Yes, the unthinkable has happened. Through utterly devastating victories, SRH and MI have blown IPL 2020 wide open and have done an unimaginable favour to all sides in contention. Saturday’s results mean that the fourth and final qualifier will not be decided until the final game.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Current position

2nd

Points

Remaining fixture

What’s the easiest way they can qualify?

RCB will qualify if they beat DC. In fact, not only will they qualify, but they will finish second.

Can RCB still qualify if they lose their final game?

RCB can lose their final game and still qualify for the playoffs. But for that to happen:

a) CSK have to beat KXIP on Sunday

b) KKR or RR should have a close game, such that the winner’s NRR does not leapfrog that of RCB

c) MI need to beat SRH in the final game

KXIP losing is a must for RCB if they are to progress despite losing versus DC, but even in the case of KRR/RR leapfrogging their NRR, RCB will still progress if MI beat SRH on Tuesday.

Can they get knocked out?

Yes. If RCB lose their final game and if KXIP and SRH win their respective last games, RCB will get knocked out. If RCB lose their final game, they will still be knocked out if one of KXIP/SRH win their final game and the winner of KKR/RR manages to take their NRR over RCB’s.

Delhi Capitals

Current position

3rd

Points

Remaining fixture

RCB

What does their situation look like?

The permutations for Delhi are exactly the same as RCB. They can finish second by beating RCB, but they, too, are not immune from getting knocked out.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Current position

4th

Points

Remaining fixture

How can they qualify?

For SRH, life is simple. Irrespective of other results, they will qualify if they beat Mumbai on Tuesday. Should they lose, they are knocked out. Simple as that.

Kings XI Punjab

Current position

5th

Points

Remaining fixture

CSK

What’s the easiest way they can qualify?

First things first, for KXIP, beating CSK on Sunday is a must. If they beat CSK on Sunday and if either SRH lose to Mumbai (or) if KKR/RR play out a close game such that the NRR swerve is minimal, KXIP will qualify.

What are other scenarios through which they can qualify?

Thanks to the mayhem on Saturday, where the NRR of both DC and RCB slipped below theirs, KXIP can still qualify if SRH beat MI on Tuesday. In the case of SRH beating MI on Tuesday, KXIP, assuming they beat Chennai on Sunday, will qualify if KKR/RR fail to surpass their NRR. In this case, SRH and KXIP will finish 3rd and 4th, with the loser of RCB/DC getting knocked out.

Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders

Points

Remaining fixture

They face each other on Sunday

What’s the easiest way one of these teams can qualify?

Due to their NRR being horrendous, both RR (-0.377) and KKR (-0.467) have a tough task at hand of making it to the next round. However, should both KXIP and SRH lose their last respective matches, the winner of KKR vs RR will go through to the playoffs.

What are the other ways one of these two teams can qualify?

None of these two sides can compete with SRH when it comes to a NRR battle, but there is still an outside chance that they can pip one of KXIP or RCB/DC via NRR.

The winner of KKR vs RR will progress to the next round if

a) MI beat SRH and one of these two sides manage to take their NRR over either KXIP or the loser of RCB/DC

b) SRH beat MI and one of these two teams manage to take their NRR over both KXIP and the loser of RCB/DC

One thing’s guaranteed, though. SRH vs MI being the last match of the group stages means that the fourth entrant will not be decided until Tuesday, November 3.