BCCI has suspended IPL season 18 in view of the ongoing security situation between India and Pakistan. An official post by BCCI says that the cash rich league has been suspended for one week. With just 12 matches left in the league stage, it becomes important to take a look at the chances each team had of qualifying for the playoffs how this decision could impact them.
IPL Playoff chances for each team:
1) Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Season 18 of the IPL indeed turned out to be a lucky one for the RCB as they stand on 16 points after 11 matches and a net run rate of 0.482. The Rajat Patidar led franchise are currently on the second spot and were supposed to play a match against Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana stadium today.
In order to qualify for the playoffs, RCB needed just one win from any of their 3 matches, making them favourites to reach the top four stage despite the interruption. A key factor to look out for, not just RCB but all franchises, will be how the form of their players will be when the IPL season eventually resumes.
2) Gujarat Titans:
The Shubman Gill-led franchise currently sit atop the IPL points table with 16 points from their 11 matches and a net run rate of +0.793. Like RCB, GT only need to win one of their three matches to qualify for the play-offs.
3) Punjab Kings:
Punjab Kings’ last match against Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abandoned by the BCCI as a precautionary measure. However, the Shreyas Iyer-led franchise still have 15 points from their 11 matches and the outcome of their clash with DC remains unclear at the moment.
If PBKS take a point from this match, they will need to win just one of their two remaining matches to finish in the top four.
4) Mumbai Indians:
Mumbai Indians lost out against the Gujarat Titans in a closely fought contest in the last match which slipped them to the 4th spot. Perhaps the biggest impact of this break in the IPL could be on MI with the Hardik Pandya-led side only firing very late in the tournament, and when they finally found their groove, IPL is being suspended. Moreover, MI need to win all 2 of theri matches in order to make it to the playoffs stage or win one match and depend on the result of other teams for a top four berth.
5) Delhi Capitals:
Delhi Capitals are more or less in the same boat as Mumbai Indians. They also have 13 points from 11 games but have a lower net run rate of 0.362 (compared to MI’s 1.156).
If they get a point from the PBKS game, they will need to win all their matches to qualify for the play-offs, otherwise their fate will depend on the results of the other teams.
6) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
KKR currently sit 6th on the IPL points table with 11 points from their 12 matches and a net run rate of 0.193. While in theory 14 points should be enough to qualify for the playoffs, the increased competition this year means that even if KKR win all 2 of their remaining matches, it may not be enough to make the Top 4.
7) Lucknow Super Giants:
LSG can get to a maximum of 16 points if they win all 3 of their remaining matches. However, even if they win all 3 matches, it may still not be enough to qualify for the IPL playoffs.
