IPL 2023 Playoff Scenario: How Can Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore Finish In 2nd Place, CSK, LSG, MI, KKR, RR, PBKS Qualification Explained

Royal Challengers Bangalore have a slim chance of finishing in 2nd place on the IPL 2023 Points Table and ensuring a berth in Qualifier 1 match.

Photo: BCCI/IPL

Virat Kohli’s brilliant century against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday night has given Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) a great chance to finish in the top two of the IPL 2023 Points Table and earn their berth against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1. But for that to happen RCB will need a lot of other things to fall into place apart from winning their last league match against GT at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday night.

If RCB win on Sunday night, they can get to 16 points from 14 points. While MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will remain on 15 points if they lose to Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively on Saturday.

Faf du Plessis-led RCB will need to win by big margin against Hardik Pandya’s defending champions GT to keep their net run-rate above five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI). In this scenario, RCB can finish in second place with 16 points even if MI win their last league match against SRH.

Check scenarios in which RCB can end up in 2nd place on Points Table…

* RCB need to beat GT to reach 16 points in last league match on Sunday

* CSK and LSG need to lose their last league matches

* MI need to lose their last league match against SRH or win with a margin so not to improve their NRR above RCB.

IPL 2023 Points Table - RCB back in the Top 4.

They've a chance to finish in the Top 2 as well now! pic.twitter.com/m2dIiS98kl

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 18, 2023

Apart from RCB, CSK, MI, LSG, KKR, Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings can also qualify for the Playoffs stage currently. Here is how the other teams can qualify for the Playoffs stage…

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni’s side need to win their final league match against DC on Saturday after to reach 17 points and assure themselves of a Playoffs berth.

Lucknow Super Giants: Krunal Pandya-led LSG need to beat KKR on Saturday evening to reach 17 points and book their Playoffs berth.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma’s side need to beat SRH in their final match by a huge margin to ensure that they can qualify with 16 even if RCB, CSK and LSG win all of their last league matches. They can also qualify if CSK and LSG lose their last matches and they win or RCB lose their last match and MI beat SRH.

Kolkata Knight Riders: They have very slim hopes of qualifying for the Playoffs. They need to beat LSG on Saturday to reach 14 points. After that they have to pray that, RCB and MI lose their last match. In such a scenario, KKR, RCB, MI and one out or RR and PBKS will have 14 points and team with best NRR will qualify.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson’s RR need to win their final league game against Punjab Kings with a huge margin to improve their NRR. They then have to hope that KKR, RCB and MI lose their last matches, so that RR, RCB and MI have 14 points each and team with best NRR moves up.

Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan’s side have even slimmer hopes of qualifying. The equation is similar for them as the Royals, as they need to beat RR by a big margin on Friday night. They then have to hope that KKR, RCB and MI lose their last matches, so that PBKS, RCB and MI have 14 points each and team with best NRR moves up.