IPL 2026 Playoffs Scenario For All 10 Teams

Mumbai: From being on the brink of losing three consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 matches, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held on to their nerves in the nail-biting contest against the Mumbai Indians (MI). RCB scored 15 runs in the final over of the contest to arrest their fall, and went to the top of the points table on Sunday. The result led to the likes of the Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants officially being knocked out from the race for the playoffs. But, a total of 8 teams are still in the hunt for a spot in the top 4.

Occupying the numero uno spot is RCB, the defending champions, who sit on 14 points in 11 matches, with a healthy Net Run Rate of +1.103. But their qualification is not yet completely sealed. Here’s a look at the qualification scenarios of all 8 teams who are still in the fray:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: The Rajat Patidar-led franchise needs one more game to ‘feel safe’. The 16-point total is traditionally considered enough for a team to go through to the playoffs. But, RCB would be keen to win all the remaining games from here on in order to finish among the top 2 sides. Such a run would help them progress directly to the Qualifier 1, which would earn them two chances to make it to the final.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: SRH are level with RCB on 14 points but trail on NRR (+0.737). Their path is straightforward; they need to win two of their last three games to secure qualification. Their final league game against RCB on May 22 could decide who takes the Qualifier 1 spot.

Gujarat Titans: Despite being tied at 14 points, GT’s NRR (+0.228) is significantly lower than RCB’s. They need at least two more wins to feel safe. Their upcoming clash against SRH on May 12 could turn out to be a decisive battle.

Punjab Kings: PBKS are arguably in the best position with a game in hand, having played 10 games so far, and 13 points already on the board. Two wins from their final four games will take them to 17 points, which historically guarantees qualification.

Chennai Super Kings: The 5-time champions are in a tricky phase. To reach the relatively safe 16-point mark, they need to win at least two of their last three matches. However, with their Net Run Rate being +0.185, the qualification situation could become really tricky, even if they have 16 points on the board. Ideally, the Super Kings would want to win all three of their remaining games.

Rajasthan Royals: Level with CSK on 12 points, RR must also target at least two wins. Their NRR (+0.082) is even inferior to Chennai, courtesy of three losses in the last four games. They will likely be battling CSK for that fourth spot.

Kolkata Knight Riders: KKR have an outside chance, but a difficult road. They must win all four of their remaining four games to reach 17 points. A single defeat would leave them at the mercy of other sides like CSK and RR.

Delhi Capitals: Mathematically alive but practically on the brink, DC need to win all their remaining games to reach 14 points and hope for a series of miracles. Their Net Run Rate is currently the worst in the league (-1.154). They don’t just need to win but to win big, while also hoping for other results to fall in their favour.

Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants: After RCB’s win in Raipur, both MI and LSG were officially knocked out of the playoffs race.