The race for playoff berths is as fierce as it gets as the thrilling 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) approaches its zenith. To join Kolkata Knight Riders in the last four, the teams must accomplish the following tasks in order to claim three open berths:.

1		KKR	13	9	3	1	1.428	2389/225.0	2135/232.2	19	NWWWW
2		RR	12	8	4	0	0.349	2190/232.1	2165/238.2	16	LLLWW
3		CSK	13	7	6	0	0.528	2333/254.4	2197/254.3	14	WLWLW
4		SRH	12	7	5	0	0.406	2390/227.5	2385/236.3	14	WLWLL
5		RCB	13	6	7	0	0.387	2540/249.0	2455/250.1	12	WWWWW
6		DC	13	6	7	0	-0.482	2365/247.0	2573/255.5	12	LWLWW
7		LSG	12	6	6	0	-0.769	2080/237.5	2117/222.3	12	LLWLW
8		GT	13	5	7	1	-1.063	2040/238.2	2101/218.2	11	NWLLL
9		MI	13	4	9	0	-0.271	2372/248.5	2446/249.3	8	LWLLL
10		PBKS	12	4	8	0	-0.423	2128/235.4	2253/238.2	8	LLWWL

Rajasthan Royals (RR) 

RR has participated in 12 games, scoring 16 runs at a 0.349 net run rate. They still have two games left, against the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Punjab Kings. The dates of the two matches are May 15 and May 19, 2024, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, respectively.The three remaining teams in contention, the Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants, each have the ability to score 16 points or more, while the Rajasthan Royals have not yet guaranteed a postseason position. But RR is in a far better situation.On May 14, if LSG loses to DC, RR will be eligible. However, one victory will help RR go into the playoffs if LSG wins. They will finish in the top two with two victories, and even if they only win one and have a run rate over SRH, they will still place in the top two. RR will probably be in the safe zone even if they lose both of their matches. The Lucknow Super Giants face a significant obstacle in the form of a -0.769 net run rate. Even with two victories left in their remaining games, they will need to put in an enormous amount of work to raise their run rate and surpass RRs (0.349). However, RR needs to strive for victories and cannot afford to remain complacent in both matches.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IPL PLAYOFF

With 14 points from 13 games and a 0.528 net run rate, CSK is in the lead. They will play one more game on May 18, 2024, away at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.If CSK defeats RCB in their last game, their high net run rate puts them in a good position to guarantee a berth in the top four. If they lose, though, other outcomes will determine whether they qualify or not. To improve their prospects, they would need to lose one of their games and end with fewer than 16 points in the rankings, which would go to either SRH or LSG. In order to keep their lead over RCB in terms of run rate, CSK must also make sure that their margin of defeat is small in the event of a loss. Moreover, both CSK and RCB may qualify with 14 points apiece if SRH and LSG finish with 14 or fewer points combined.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

After 12 games, SRH has accumulated 16 points with a strong 0.406 net run rate. They still have two games left, against the Gujarat Titans and the Punjab Kings, which are slated to take place on May 16 and May 19, 2024, respectively, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. SRH will want to win these games, despite where they are now, in order to further guarantee their spot in the playoffs.Because of their higher run average than LSG, SRH has a significant edge. They should be able to qualify for the postseason with just one victory in their next two games.In addition, two wins may push them into the running for a top-two finish. They may lose both games, though, and then CSK and RCB might overtake them in the rankings on the basis of net run rate, endangering their chances of making the playoffs.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

RCB has participated in 13 games, earning 12 points and a 0.387 net run rate. They still have one game remaining, which is a home game on May 18, 2024, at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru versus the Chennai Super Kings.RCB has to win this game, and even if they do, they will still need the other outcomes to go their way. They would need LSG to drop at least one of their two games and SRH to lose both. They would want to defeat CSK (0.528) by a sizable margin in either case, raising their net run rate over that of CSK. With a superior net opponent, RCB has a solid chance of making it to the playoffs if the other outcomes go their way with a higher run rate than CSK.

Delhi Capitals (DC)

DC has a net run rate of -0.482 after 13 games played, 12 points, and 12 points. They still have one game left, which is a home game on May 14, 2024, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi versus the Lucknow Super Giants.The greatest chance for DC is if SRH loses badly in their last two games, CSK wins against RCB, and LSG doesn’t win more than one game while their run rate is lower than DC’s. Their possibilities appear limited because they rely on so many intricate and challenging computations, permutations, and combinations.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

After 12 games played in the IPL 2024 season, LSG has accumulated 12 points with a -0.769 net run rate. They still have two games left, away to the Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on May 14 and May 17, 2024, respectively. LSG’s low net run rate places them in a challenging position where they have to win both their matches to stay in contention. And not just that, they will need the other results to go their way, as even upon reaching 16 points, they could still find themselves trailing behind CSK and SRH, who boast of significantly better net run rates. Even in the scenario where the Rajasthan Royals were to lose both matches, the likelihood of LSG surpassing them in terms of run rate remains highly unlikely. Consequently, the probability of LSG qualifying for the playoffs is very low.

Gujarat Titans (GT)

In the IPL 2024 season, GT has played 12 games and collected 10 points while maintaining an extremely poor net run rate of -1.063. There are still two games left: May 13, 2024, at home against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and May 19, 2024, away against the Rajasthan Royals at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. There is really little possibility that GT will make the playoffs this year. It is extremely unlikely that they will make it to the playoffs with their subpar net run rate of -1.063 and the necessity for other outcomes to go their way.