Even after 68 league matches, the IPL 2026 playoffs race is still wide open. Each year, the top four teams on the points table at the end of the league stage qualify for the playoffs.
So far this year, three teams - the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Gujarat Titans, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad - have confirmed their spots in the playoffs. RCB and GT will play Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on May 26 after finishing first and second on the points table, respectively.
SRH, though, have finished third and will play the Eliminator at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on May 27. Three other teams - the Rajasthan Royals, the Punjab Kings, and the Kolkata Knight Riders - are now in contention to join SRH in Mullanpur. Interestingly, RCB, GT, and SRH have all finished with 9 wins in 14 matches and 18 points, with net run rate being the only differentiator.
Under the playoffs format, the winner of Qualifier 1 will play the IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. The loser of this encounter will face the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 in Mullanpur on May 29. The winner of Qualifier 2 will play the final against the winner of Qualifier 1.
The remaining two matches in the league stage will be played on Sunday, May 24. In the afternoon match, RR will take on the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
In the evening match, KKR will play the Delhi Capitals at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. All three teams still in contention for the playoffs will need to keep an eye on both games.
Playoffs Qualification scenario for all three teams
As of now, PBKS have completed all 14 of their matches in IPL 2026, while RR and KKR will play their 14th games today. Right now, Punjab are fourth on the points table with 15 points, having won 7 matches and one ending in a no-result.
RR are fifth with 14 points, having won 7 of their 13 matches. KKR are sixth with 6 wins, one no-result, and 13 points from 13 matches.
RR have the easiest equation of the three teams in contention to make the playoffs. Despite winning each of their first four matches, RR fumbled the mid-season but recovered in time to find themselves in a situation where they control their own destiny.
PBKS' win over the Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday means that Sunday's day game is now a must-win for RR. If RR beat MI, they will take the fourth qualification spot and eliminate both PBKS and KKR. If RR lose, then they will be eliminated, and everything will hinge on the evening match.
RR winning against MI will take them to 16 points, a total that neither PBKS nor KKR can match now, let alone take over.
Punjab Kings
At the halfway mark, PBKS were tipped by multiple experts as the team to beat. Some even said that other teams should just stop trying and hand them the IPL trophy straight away.
In their first 7 matches, PBKS had 6 wins and one no-result. From here, last year's runners-up went on a 6-match losing streak that was only broken when they beat LSG on Saturday. Now, their destiny is no longer in their control, and despite being on an odd number of points, they need NRR in their favour.
For PBKS to qualify, they need RR to lose to MI. This is a non-negotiable as explained above. Ideally, they would want the Delhi Capitals to beat KKR in the evening. If this happens, then Punjab will qualify in fourth place with 15 points, while RR will be on 14 and KKR will be on 13.
If RR lose to MI, but KKR beat DC, then the fourth spot will come down to net run rate between KKR and PBKS, as both teams will finish on 15 points.
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR were almost the opposite of PBKS when it came to their season progression. In their first 6 matches, they had 5 losses and one no-result, against PBKS.
But, they recovered in the second half to post 6 wins in their next 7 matches to give themselves an outside chance to make the playoffs. But, PBKS' win over LSG on Saturday made KKR's job that much harder.
Now, to qualify, KKR need to not just beat DC, but also hope that RR lose to MI and that their net run rate can cross PBKS'.
KKR cannot overtake Punjab's points tally, but have an outside chance at crossing their NRR. To cross that tally, KKR will need to win by approximately 75 runs if they bat first, or chase their target down in around 13 overs, if batting second. The exact numbers will vary based on the actual scores in the match.
Also Read: KKR vs DC Dream11 Prediction Today Match, Dream11 Team Today, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Injury Update- IPL 2026, Match 70
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