Eight teams are still fighting for four playoff spots as the IPL 2026 league stage enters its final stretch. With Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians already eliminated, here is a complete breakdown of every contender’s scenario.
Gujarat Titans (P12, 16 pts, NRR +0.551) Five wins on the trot and effectively one foot in the playoffs. A win over Kolkata would put them in a strong position for a top-two finish. If they stop winning now, they can still qualify — but only if results elsewhere go their way.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (P12, 16 pts, NRR +1.053) The tournament’s best NRR is their trump card. Beat Punjab Kings next and a top-four finish is virtually sealed. Win both remaining games and they are in the top two.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (P12, 14 pts, NRR +0.331) Their NRR took a heavy blow against Gujarat — dropping from +0.737 to +0.331 in one game. Must win both remaining matches. Remaining fixtures against Chennai and Bengaluru make that task even harder.
Punjab Kings (P11, 13 pts, NRR +0.428) Four straight defeats have complicated things. Three wins from three gets them to 19 points and in. Two wins may not be enough if five teams finish at 18. The silver lining: two of their three remaining games are against already-eliminated Mumbai and Lucknow.
Chennai Super Kings (P11, 12 pts, NRR +0.185) Three wins in a row after a horror start. Win all three remaining matches and 18 points guarantees a top-four finish. Their remaining schedule — Lucknow, Hyderabad, Gujarat — is a playoff gauntlet.
Rajasthan Royals (P11, 12 pts, NRR +0.082) Five defeats in their last seven matches. Need to win all three but even that may not be enough given their NRR. The schedule doesn’t help either — just one day’s gap between their matches against Delhi and Lucknow.
Kolkata Knight Riders & Delhi Capitals Negative NRR makes their path extremely narrow. Even a clean sweep of remaining games likely won’t be enough unless multiple results break in their favour.
