IPL 2023 Playoffs Race: Qualification Scenarios of All Teams After LSG vs MI

IPL 2023: Here's what each team needs to do, in a bid to seal their participation in the playoffs.

The IPL 2023 playoffs race, which has had enough plot twists so far to give any thriller a run for its worth, had another new dimension added to it when Lucknow Super Giants defeated Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, 16 May. With this win, Lucknow's chances of making it to the playoffs have increased manifolds, with MI fans resorting to calculators and permutations.

Let us have a look at the qualification scenarios of all teams, following the LSG vs MI match:

1. Gujarat Titans

Already through to Qualifier 1.

2. Chennai Super Kings

Remaining Fixture: Delhi Capitals (20 May)

Qualification Scenarios:

• If they win – Guaranteed playoffs berth, will also result in a Qualifier 1 place if Lucknow Super Giants don't beat Kolkata Knight Riders by a huge margin.

• If they lose – Either Mumbai Indians must lose their last match, or alternatively; Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings must lose one of their remaining two fixtures.

3. Mumbai Indians

Remaining Fixture: Sunrisers Hyderabad (21 May)

Qualification Scenarios:

• If they win – Either Chennai and Lucknow will have to lose their respective last matches, or alternatively; Bangalore and Punjab must lose one of their last two games. In the second scenario, there will be a net run rate (NRR) battle.

• If they lose – Bangalore must lose both of their remaining matches, with Rajasthan and Kolkata also losing their respective last games. Punjab will have to lose against Delhi Capitals, triggering an NRR clash with MI.

4. Lucknow Super Giants

Remaining Fixture: Kolkata Knight Riders (20 May)

Qualification Scenarios:

• If they win – Top 4 guaranteed. In case they beat KKR by an enormous margin, Lucknow will feature in Qualifier 1.

• If they lose – Bangalore and Punjab must lose one of their remaining games. Or, Delhi must beat Chennai by a huge margin.

5. Royal Challengers Bangalore

Remaining Fixtures: Sunrisers Hyderabad (18 May), Gujarat Titans (21 May)

Qualification Scenarios:

• If they win both – If one of Chennai and Lucknow must lose their last match, a Punjab defeat or Mumbai's loss to Hyderabad will guarantee a playoffs place. Should both Chennai and Lucknow win, Punjab and Mumbai will have to lose a game, to avoid an NRR clash.

• If they win one – Mumbai must lose to Hyderabad, Punjab must beat Rajasthan but lose to Delhi, and Kolkata must either lose to Lucknow, or win by a slender margin.

• If they lose both – Elimination.

6. Rajasthan Royals

Remaining Fixture: Punjab Kings (19 May)

Qualification Scenario

• Must-win game for Rajasthan. Even then, Mumbai must lose to Hyderabad, with Bangalore and Punjab losing one match. It will then lead to an NRR battle.

7. Kolkata Knight Riders

Remaining Fixture: Lucknow Super Giants (20 May)

Qualification Scenario

• Must beat LSG by a massive margin. In case that happens – Mumbai must lose to Hyderabad, RCB must lose at least one game by a huge margin, and Punjab must beat Rajasthan but lose to Delhi.

8. Punjab Kings

Remaining Fixtures: Delhi Capitals (17 May), Rajasthan Royals (19 May)

• If they beat DC but lose to RR – Most likely will result in elimination, given their underwhelming net run rate.

• If they lose to DC but beat RR – Hyderabad must beat Mumbai, Lucknow must beat Kolkata, and RCB must lose at least one match by a huge margin.

• If they win both – RCB must lose one game, with MI losing against SRH. Should only one of these two things happen, CSK or LSG must lose their last match.

• If they lose both – Elimination.

9, 10: Sunrisers Hyderabad & Delhi Capitals

Already eliminated. Better luck next time!