The top four slots are still up for grabs as the IPL 2024 draws to a close. While the teams at the bottom have picked up some wins, the top teams have suffered some losses. Here is how the current standings look, with KKR leading the way with a few league matches remaining.
1. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
For a considerable amount of time, the two-time winners were ranked No. 2, but they moved up to the top spot thanks to their decisive victory over the Lucknow Super Giants in their most recent match. KKR is almost guaranteed a spot in the playoffs after winning eight of their last eleven games and only losing three. They stand a good chance of placing in the top two and securing a spot in Qualifier 1. They can guarantee their postseason spot with one more victory.
2. Rajasthan Royals (RR)
In their first nine IPL 2024 matches, the defending champions only suffered one loss, maintaining a firm grip on the top spot. But after losing their past two games in a row and KKR winning their last three, Sanju Samson and company have fallen to second place. Rajasthan has played 11 games with eight wins, three losses, and a lower net run-rate than KKR. There’s still a good chance the Royals will qualify. They only need to win one of their next three games.
3. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
After 12 games, the Pat Cummins-led team has seven victories and five losses. If they win their next two games, they will automatically qualify. But their net run rate (NRR), which is currently a consistent +0.406, may be the deciding factor if they only win one of their next two games.
4. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
This season, the Yellow Army has shown its extremes. In their first 11 games, they have won six and lost five. If the defending champs win their next three games, they will guarantee a spot in the playoffs. If they win two of the final three games, their net rating might be under the spotlight. The five-time winners are second in the league behind KKR, with a strong NRR of +0.700.
5. Delhi Capitals (DC)
With six victories and an equal number of losses from 12 games, Rishabh Pant and company are ranked fifth in the rankings. Wins in their final two games will put them at 16 points. But as of right now, it won’t guarantee them a postseason berth. It is imperative that they hope for at least one of SRH’s or CSK’s remaining games to be lost. The NRR for them is -0.316.
6. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
After suffering crushing losses in their previous two games, the Super Giants have qualified for the playoffs the past two years, but things have become a little tight for them. Out of 12 matches, KL Rahul and company have won six and lost six. They have an unsettling NRR of -0.769. They have one encounter versus DC and can score as many as 16 points. They will eliminate Pant’s team from the competition if they win their next two games, including the match against Delhi. LSG must, however, keep a watch on how the top four teams in the standings perform in their remaining games.
7. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
After dropping their first seven games, RCB has bounced back, winning their last three to maintain their spot in the competition. With 11 games played, the Faf du Plessis-led team has four victories, seven losses, and a maximum of 14 points. They will, however, need to significantly raise their NRR of -0.049 and hope that SRH, CSK, DC, and LSG lose their remaining games by a small margin. A defeat is beyond RCB’s means.
8. Punjab Kings (PBKS)
Similar to RCB, Punjab can score up to 14 points. After 11 games, the Kings have a -0.187 NRR, four wins, and seven defeats. The other teams vying for a spot in the playoffs, RCB and SRH, will face Sam Curran and company in one match apiece. It will be crucial to win those games. They must, however, raise their NRR and hope that other outcomes materialize. Punjab cannot allow themselves to lose any of their next matches.
9. Mumbai Indians (MI)
With only four wins and eight losses in 12 games, the five-time champions have had a poor season. They are no longer in the competition. They will only accumulate a maximum of 12 points, which won’t be sufficient to guarantee qualification, even if they win their next two games.
10. Gujarat Titans (GT)
The 2022 winners still have a mathematical chance of making it to the postseason. Of the 11 games they have played, they have won four and lost seven. At best, the Titans can score 14 points, but with just three games remaining, they will find it difficult to improve upon their NRR of -1.320, which is the lowest in the league. They play three formidable teams: CSK, KKR, and SRH. Considering the erratic performances the Shubman Gill team has produced, it will be difficult to defeat all three of them. They will be eliminated if they lose any of those games.
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