How can both CSK and RCB qualify for IPL 2024 playoffs?

Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru notched up crucial wins in the 2024 edition of the IPL on a double-header Sunday as they kept their chances of qualification alive

RCB beat Delhi Capitals by 47 runs as they not only stayed in the hunt themselves but quashed any qualification chances of the Delhi team, who were without their captain Rishabh Pant in the Sunday clah

RCB now have 12 points in the kitty and have to win their next game against CSK to stay alive in the race for the playoffs

Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, rode on Simarjeet Singh's tremendous bowling spell to win against the Rajasthan Royals to end their league stage run at home with five victories

With the win against the Royals, CSK have already notched up 14 points and a win is likely to take them to the playoffs but even if they lose to RCB in their final league stage game, they might qualify

However, for any such permutation or combination to fall in place, both RCB and CSK will have to hope and pray that the Sunrisers Hyderabad lose both their remaining games

Sunrisers Hyderabad already have 14 points in the bag and with two home games remaining, the Orange Army will fancy its chances to get to 16 points if not 18 as they face the two teams in the lower rung, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings

So if SRH drop both their games, CSK and RCB have a chance of qualifying at 14 points with a better NRR. But what about Lucknow Super Giants, another side who can reach 16 points as of now?

Lucknow Super Giants will be down and out after that loss against the Sunrisers and the Sanjiv Goenka fiasco following that. If LSG win both their games, they might be in three-way war among SRH and CSK. So they will have to hope for an RCB win against CSK if they do win against Delhi and Mumbai in their remaining two games

So, CSK are in a much better position than RCB because if they win, they should be in the playoffs given their NRR. But for RCB to be in the running as well, SRH will have to lose their remaining games and LSG will have to lose at least one because even if they get to 14, their NRR has took a massive beating in the last two games

It is proving to be a thrill-a-minute IPL season with the race to the finish for the playoffs. Both CSK and RCB can qualify but at least four results have to go according to the plan. Since RCB can get to only 14, they are in a much desperate position but they are coming off five wins in a row. It should be a cracker!!