NEW DELHI: In a historic turn of events, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have secured the top spot on the points table in IPL 2024, marking the first time in the franchise's history. As the tournament's knockout rounds approach, two teams have already booked their spots in the playoffs: KKR leads the standings, while Rajasthan Royals (RR) are on a four-match losing streak.
With RR's recent defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS), KKR has firmly cemented their place at the top of the league phase in IPL 2024.
However, the battle for the second spot remains open, with both Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) eyeing the opportunity to surpass KKR on the points table.
IPL Points Table 2024
Rank
| Teams
| Mat
| W
| L
| NR(No Result)
| Pts.
| NRR
|
1
| Kolkata Knight Riders (Qualified)
| 13
| 9
| 3
| 1
| 19
| 1.428
|
2
| Rajasthan Royals (Qualified)
| 13
| 8
| 5
| 0
| 16
| 0.273
|
3
| Chennai Super Kings
| 13
| 7
| 6
| 0
| 14
| 0.528
|
4
| Sunrisers Hyderabad
| 12
| 7
| 5
| 0
| 14
| 0.406
|
5
| Delhi Capitals
| 14
| 7
| 7
| 0
| 14
| -0.377
|
6
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru
| 13
| 6
| 7
| 0
| 12
| 0.387
|
7
| Lucknow Super Giants
| 13
| 6
| 7
| 0
| 12
| -0.787
|
8
| Gujarat Titans
| 13
| 5
| 7
| 1
| 11
| -1.063
|
9
| Punjab Kings
| 13
| 5
| 8
| 0
| 10
| -0.347
|
10
| Mumbai Indians
| 13
| 4
| 9
| 0
| 8
| -0.271
|
RR, once contenders for the top spot, now face uncertainty regarding a top-two finish after a series of defeats in the latter part of the season.
For Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), their hopes of making the playoffs hinge on finishing ahead of CSK in the points standings. A win over SRH would secure SRH's qualification. Alternatively, if SRH loses both their remaining matches, RCB must defeat CSK by at least 18 runs (if CSK scores 200) to maintain a higher net run rate and qualify.
CSK, on the other hand, can secure their playoff berth with a win over RCB. Even if they lose by less than 18 runs while chasing 200, their net run rate remains higher than RCB's, ensuring qualification. If CSK loses by a wider margin, their fate depends on SRH's results and their net run rate relative to RCB's.
SRH is on the cusp of qualification, needing just one more point to secure their playoff spot. Even if a match gets washed out or they win one of their remaining games, SRH will qualify. However, if they lose both matches and RCB defeats CSK by a significant margin, SRH's qualification will depend on net run rate differentials.
As the IPL 2024 season unfolds, the race for playoff spots intensifies, adding excitement and uncertainty to the tournament's final stages.
(Inputs from ANI)