With five league-stage matches left in the IPL 2026 season, the knockout picture is mostly settled: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already clinched playoff spots, while Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians are out of contention. Rajasthan Royals sit best among the chasing group, followed by Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders; Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings remain alive only in the mathematical sense.
There are 32 possible combinations of results across the remaining fixtures, so several scenarios still exist despite the strong positions of some teams. Net run rate (NRR) will be decisive in several tie situations, making margin of victory and defeat in the last round especially important.
Rajasthan Royals can guarantee a place in the top four by beating Mumbai Indians in their final match. A win would either secure them outright qualification or leave them in a possible three-way tie for second with SRH and GT if those sides lose; a defeat would force RR to rely on Punjab Kings failing to beat LSG to hold their spot.
Punjab Kings’ path is narrow. PBKS must beat LSG to keep any hope alive, and even then they need Mumbai to upset RR. If those two results occur, the outcome of the KKR–DC game will determine whether PBKS finish sole fourth or share the spot with Kolkata.
Kolkata Knight Riders likewise need to beat Delhi Capitals, but that alone is not enough. KKR also need Mumbai to beat Rajasthan; should that happen, the PBKS–LSG result will decide whether KKR are fourth outright or tied with PBKS.
Delhi Capitals’ chances are highly remote. DC must beat KKR and then rely on two other matches going their way — LSG beating PBKS and MI beating RR — merely to reach a tie for fourth with either RR or KKR and CSK. With a significantly inferior net run rate, DC’s qualification outlook is largely theoretical.
Chennai Super Kings face the steepest climb. CSK must defeat Gujarat and then depend on three other outcomes — LSG over PBKS, MI over RR and DC over KKR — to force a three‑way tie for fourth with RR and DC. Even in that narrow scenario CSK’s NRR sits below RR’s but above DC’s, making margins crucial. The remaining fixtures promise a tense finish as teams chase wins and favorable NRR swings to secure the final playoff berths.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl/ipl-2026/ipl-2026-playoff-qualification-scenarios-with-5-matches-to-go-rr-hold-edge-as-pbks-and-kkr-chase-the-final-spot-paths-for-each-team-explained/articleshow/131237957.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-05-21 06:36:00
