IPL 2020 | Qualification scenarios: What SRH’s thrashing of DC means for the teams in contention

10/28/2020

SRH boosted their chances through the win on Tuesday

@ IPL T20

On Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad turned the landscape of IPL 2020 around by thrashing Delhi Capitals by 88 runs. The NRR battering they endured will have grave consequences for Delhi, but it will also please every other side in contention for the top four. Here’s what DC’s defeat means for all sides.

The Table

Mumbai Indians

Remaining fixtures: RCB, DC SRH

Tuesday’s game has bolstered MI’s chances of finishing in the Top 2 by a manifold. One win should see them seal playoff qualification, while two wins will see them seal a Top 2 spot. Should their NRR not take a beating, they could very well finish in the Top 2 with just 16 points, should Delhi and/or Bangalore win no more than one of their remaining matches.

Can they still get knocked out?

Yes. If Mumbai lose each of their remaining three matches and all four of RCB, DC, KKR and KXIP get to 16 points, the defending champions will be knocked out of IPL 2020.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Remaining fixtures: MI, SRH, DC

Like MI, RCB will be grateful to SRH for what happened on Tuesday, for their Top 2 chances have got boosted too. RCB will guarantee a Top 2 spot with two more wins, but should Delhi not improve their NRR drastically in their next fixture versus Mumbai, RCB can seal a Top 2 spot by just beating the Capitals, granted they maintain a better NRR than Punjab. One win from their next three matches will also pretty much seal playoff qualification for the Royal Challengers.

Can they still get knocked out?

Yes. If RCB fail to win each of their next three matches, they can get knocked out if:

a) Both Punjab and Kolkata get to 16 points by winning their remaining fixtures

b) One of Punjab/Kolkata get to 16 points and SRH win both their remaining matches

c) SRH win their remaining matches and Punjab get to 14 points with a better NRR than RCB

Delhi Capitals

Remaining fixtures: MI, RCB

Thanks to the 14 points they accumulated in the first half of the season, a Top 2 finish is still on the cards for Delhi. All they need to do is win both their remaining matches. They can still finish Top 2 by winning just one match and getting to 16 points, but for that, they will have to hope either RCB lose their remaining games or they finish level on points with RCB with a better NRR. For Delhi to finish in the Top 2 with 16 points, they would also need Punjab to either not win all their games or get to 16 points with an inferior NRR. One more win ‘should’ take DC through to the next round.

Can they still get knocked out?

Yes. If DC fail to win their last two matches, they can get knocked out if:

a) KXIP and KKR win their last two games and finish with 16 points

b) SRH win their last two games and one of KXIP/KKR finish with 16 points

c) SRH win their last two games and KXIP finish with 14 points but take their NRR over DC

Kings XI Punjab

Remaining fixtures: RR, CSK

KXIP will qualify if they win both their remaining games, but what Tuesday’s game has done is give them an outside chance of making the Top 2. Should KXIP end in a one-way or two-way tie with DC and/or RCB with 16 points, they could very well finish second should they elevate their NRR above the duo (very much possible).

Can they qualify with 14 points?

Yes, for KXIP to qualify with 14 points, here’s what needs to happen:

a) KKR should lose one of their last two remaining games

b) SRH should lose one of their remaining two games

c) KXIP should get to 14 points by winning one of their last two games and elevate their NRR over that of KKR and RR.

Even should KKR get to 16, KXIP can qualify with 14 points, if the following happens:

a) One of DC or RCB lose all their remaining games

b) SRH lose one or their last two remaining games

c) KXIP get to 14 points by winning one of their last two games and elevate their NRR over that of DC/RCB and RR.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Remaining fixtures: CSK, RR

SRH’s victory on Tuesday has made life tough for KKR - to an extent. That said, should they get to 16 points and should KXIP lose one of their last two games, KKR will book a place in the final four. The Knight Riders can still book a place in the top 4 with 14 points, if:

a) KXIP, SRH and RR lose each of their remaining fixtures or if the aforementioned three sides do not get to 14 points.

Thanks to KKR’s hideous NRR, it would be hard for them to sneak in with 14 points if there’s a three or four-way tie.

That said, there’s trouble lurking around the corner for the Knight Riders. They can still get knocked out with 16 points, if:

a) MI, RCB and DC win one of their remaining matches and if Punjab win both their remaining fixtures

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Remaining fixtures: RCB, MI

SRH have done a huge world of good to themselves through their crushing victory on Tuesday. Here’s what needs to happen for them to qualify

a) SRH need to win each of their remaining last two games

b) Punjab and KKR should lose one of their last two games and not take their NRR over that of SRH (highly unlikely) and RR either don’t win both their last two games (or) don’t take their NRR above SRH

Even if one of KKR or KXIP get to 16 points, SRH can still qualify if:

a) One of DC or RCB lose all their remaining games.

b) KXIP (or) KKR to get to 14 points or fewer with an inferior NRR to SRH.

Rajasthan Royals

Remaining fixtures: KXIP, KKR

SRH’s victory on Tuesday dented Rajasthan Royals’ chances by tenfolds, but here’s what needs to happen for RR to qualify:

a) RR need to win both their remaining two games

b) SRH need to lose one of their remaining last two games

c) KXIP should lose both their remaining two games

d) KKR should lose both their remaining two games

Given RR’s NRR is -0.505, it will be all but impossible for them to sneak in through NRR.

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