GT vs SRH: Ninth-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad might not be among the early contenders for a playoff spot in IPL 2023. Surely, not. They have just 8 points in 11 games and when teams on 16 points and 15 points are not having confirmation of a playoff berth, how can a team that can at the maximum finish at 14 get that ticket to a playoff match venue? But wait, it is still possible for Aiden Markram's side to defy the odds and make it to the top four.
How SRH can finish in the top four?
In short - SRH need help from themselves and only two other teams. In one scenario how they can reach the playoffs is with the help of Lucknow Super Giants and either Delhi Capitals or Rajasthan Royals. Let's break this further now.
Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings are out of SRH's reach as they have 16 and 15 points respectively. Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are in third and fourth respectively with 14 and 13 points. Teams that can challenge SRH for a playoff spot are - one of MI and LSG, RCB (12 points in 12 games), RR (12 points in 13 games), KKR (12 points in 13 games) and PBKS (12 points in 12 games).
SRH are the only team with three matches in hand and they face GT, RCB and MI in them, all of whom have two matches each. SRH need to win all the games to stand a chance as they would then be on 14 points. No more than three teams should go beyond the 14-point mark for SRH. If the orange army win their three games, they will stop RCB from going past 14. This will bring down to Sunrisers needing help from Lucknow and either Delhi or Rajasthan. LSG face MI and if the former win, MI will get stuck on 14 (considering SRH beat MI too). Two teams on level and three still in a fight with SRH.
The Sunrisers will also want LSG to beat KKR in their final game and this will confirm LSG's qualification. Just one spot left for the playoffs now. KKR will also get stuck on 12 and it's three teams down and LSG qualified. SRH are now left in a battle with RR and PBKS. Both Rajasthan and Punjab face each other and one would cut points from the other. Punjab have one game against Delhi and SRH would want Delhi to win it.
This would ensure no more than three teams go past 14 and then SRH would be in a battle with a few teams on 14 on NRR. The Sunrisers need to improve that in a big way. They have an NRR of -0.471 and that is the lowest among teams in contention for the playoffs. It's now or never for Hyderabad
