Race to the playoffs: What MI needs to do - Mumbai Indians

Then again, four teams will be stuck on 12 points and only one will make the cut on the basis of a healthier NRR.4) KINGS XI PUNJABRemaining match: vs CSK on Sunday, May 20Status: In sixth position with 12 points from 13 games (NRR -0.

With six games to go in the league stage of the 2018 VIVO IPL, only two teams — Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings — have qualified for the playoffs. Five others — Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore —are in contention for the two remaining spots. Only Delhi Daredevils are out of contention. Here’s what we need to do in order to make the cut...

1) MUMBAI INDIANS

Status: In fourth place with 12 points from 13 games (NRR +0.384)

Remaining match: vs DD on Sunday, May 20

Win: If we win, MI will qualify with 14 points and a healthy net run-rate.

Loss: Even if we lose to bottom-placed DD on Sunday, we can still qualify with 12 points. That’s if RCB defeat RR but lose to SRH and KXIP lose to CSK. In that case, four teams — MI, RR, KXIP and RCB — will be on 12 points. The NRR will then come into play and we are most likely to sneak in.

2) KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

Status: In third place with 14 points from 13 games (NRR -0.091)

Remaining match: vs SRH on Saturday, May 19

Win: If they win, KKR will finish their league engagements with 16 points. That will be enough for them to qualify.

Loss: If they lose, they can still qualify with 14 points but only if MI and KXIP both lose their final league games.

3) RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Status: In fifth place with 12 points from 13 games (NRR -0.403)

Remaining match: vs RCB on Saturday, May 19

Win: If RR win, they will finish with 14 points but will qualify only if KXIP and MI lose their games and be stuck with 12 points. Or, RR will have to win by a huge margin and beat KXIP, MI and KXIP (who could all be on 14 points) on NRR.

Loss: If RR lose, they would want RCB, MI and KXIP to lose their respective final matches. Then again, four teams will be stuck on 12 points and only one will make the cut on the basis of a healthier NRR.

4) KINGS XI PUNJAB

Remaining match: vs CSK on Sunday, May 20

Status: In sixth position with 12 points from 13 games (NRR -0.49)

Win: If KXIP beat CSK, they can qualify with 14 points provided RCB lose to SRH but defeat RR, and MI lose to DD. Else, they have to win big and hope their NRR, which is now in the red, improves dramatically.

Loss: In case they lose to CSK, they can still qualify on the basis of net run-rate provided RCB lose to SRH and beat RR, and MI and KXIP lose their respective last games. In that case, there will be a four-way tie between them, RR, RCB, and MI. But the bad news for KXIP is that their net run-rate at the moment is the worst among all the contenders.

5) Royal Challengers Bangalore

Remaining matches: vs SRH on Thursday, May 17, and vs RR on Saturday, May 19

Status: In seventh position with 10 points from 12 games (NRR 0.218)

Win: If they win both their games, they can qualify on the basis of having earned 14 points points provided KXIP and MI lose their respective games. Else, the NRR will come into play.

Loss: If they lose to SRH but defeat RR, they can qualify on the basis of a superior NRR provided KXIP and MI lose. In this case, there will again be a four-way tussle for the lone spot. RCB can’t afford to lose to RR because, if that happens, then two teams — RR and KKR — will be on 14 points. As a result, both teams will join SRH and CSK in the last four.

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