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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoff race took a dramatic turn on Sunday as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured their fifth consecutive win of the season, boosting their chances of finishing in the top four.
RCB's 47-run victory over the Delhi Capitals elevated their overall points tally to 12 from 13 matches, with a net run rate of +0.387. Their next encounter against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could be a virtual knockout, with the winner advancing to the playoffs and the loser eliminated.
CSK currently sits third in the points table with seven wins in 13 matches and a net run rate of +0.528. The Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have an additional game in hand, have 14 points with seven wins in 12 matches and a net run rate of +0.406.
The remaining teams face an uphill battle to qualify for the playoffs. The Lucknow Super Giants need to win both of their remaining matches, while the Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals can only reach a maximum of 14 points, making it unlikely for them to surpass the top four contenders based on their inferior net run rates.
RCB's best chance of qualifying lies in SRH winning one or both of their remaining matches and LSG winning no more than one. This scenario would set up a virtual eliminator between RCB and CSK, with the winner claiming the final playoff spot.
To secure qualification, RCB must either beat CSK by 18 runs or more (assuming CSK scores 200 batting first) or successfully chase down a target of 201 with approximately 11 balls remaining.
Source: IPL 2024 Playoffs Scenario: Exact Score RCB Need To Beat CSK In Top 4 Race