Reading Time: 6 minutes
Vijayhardik talks about the race for the fourth place and the last spot available for qualifying for the play-offs. Apart from CSK, all the teams have a chance of making it to the playoffs depending on the permutations and combinations. Every match is important now. An exclusive for Different Truths.
As of 27th October, Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad having secured a massive 88-run victory over third-placed Delhi Capitals, they have kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the play-offs.
The current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is reaching its business end. Teams are strategising and exploring in a bid to make it to the play-offs. The first step to getting their hands on the coveted trophy.
Going by the points table, available as on the mentioned date, none of the teams has qualified to the playoffs yet. The franchises of Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi occupy the top three spots with 14 points each, differentiated only by net run rate.
Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders – the fourth and fifth-placed teams, the latter marks the beginning of the lower half of the table and the former is the last team in the top four. Both teams with 12 points each are closer to staking a claim on the fourth spot for the play-offs.
The two dark horses in the race are the teams from Hyderabad and Rajasthan. With a superior net run rate, Sunrisers occupy the sixth position and Rajasthan occupy the seventh position.
The two dark horses in the race are the teams from Hyderabad and Rajasthan. With a superior net run rate, Sunrisers occupy the sixth position and Rajasthan occupy the seventh position. They have 10 points in their kitty and can upset the apple cart of a couple of teams and sneak off into the knockout stage of the tournament.
Chennai Super Kings, the heavyweight of the tournament, will be missing from the knockout stage for the first time since the inception of IPL. Though fans are still busy posting scenarios of how CSK can still qualify for the play-offs, they have lost one match too many.
Last fortnight, in the IPL, was the most important passage of play in the tournament. A few matches were held in the marquee. Certain results in those matches would have meant a completely different points table.
Last fortnight, in the IPL, was the most important passage of play in the tournament. A few matches were held in the marquee. Certain results in those matches would have meant a completely different points table. A points table in which all teams would still have been battling it out for qualification.
However, teams faltered in important matches and important stages. This led to a couple of teams cementing their hold at the top, a phenomenon that was not seen so early in the tournament in the last couple of seasons.
There were a few matches whose results almost sealed the fates of a few teams, but the two matches that could have made the tournament more alive by providing a chance to all teams did not go in the way of the permutations and combinations that would have made it possible.
There were a few matches whose results almost sealed the fates of a few teams, but the two matches that could have made the tournament more alive by providing a chance to all teams did not go in the way of the permutations and combinations that would have made it possible. It would have made every single match for every team more valuable.
The first match, recently dubbed as the ‘el clasico’ of the IPL, between Chennai and Mumbai did not live up to its expectations. It was a damp squib. Hosted at Sharjah, the smallest and high scoring venue of the tournament, Chennai had a nightmarish start. Put into bat by Mumbai, they lost four wickets with just three runs on the board. Their innings never recovered from that.
Chennai huffed and puffed through their innings to put up 115 runs on the board. Mumbai Indians who have been majestic this season chased it down in a canter. The left-handed opening duo of Ishan Kishan and Quinton de Kock chased down the total themselves.
Chennai huffed and puffed through their innings to put up 115 runs on the board. Mumbai Indians who have been majestic this season chased it down in a canter. The left-handed opening duo of Ishan Kishan and Quinton de Kock chased down the total themselves. It was Chennai’s most embarrassing defeat ever.
The second match happened the next day. Both the teams situated in the bottom half were looking to break through into the top four. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab both coming off a win were looking to inject some momentum into their campaign.
Hyderabad were off to a great start. They scored 50 runs inside the first five overs. The required run rate was also in their favour. Then, the Sunrisers batsmen committed hara-kiri against the leg spinners of Punjab. The fast bowlers later came back to complete the job. Punjab put on an all-round display of bowling and dismissed Hyderabad for 114. They won the match by a margin of 12 runs.
Hyderabad bowling first, proved once again why they are a bowling unit to be wary of, by restricting Punjab to 126. In response, Hyderabad was off to a great start. They scored 50 runs inside the first five overs. The required run rate was also in their favour. Then, the Sunrisers batsmen committed hara-kiri against the leg spinners of Punjab. The fast bowlers later came back to complete the job. Punjab put on an all-round display of bowling and dismissed Hyderabad for 114. They won the match by a margin of 12 runs.
If these two games, Chennai versus Mumbai, and Punjab versus Hyderabad, were won by the teams that lost them, both teams with two extra points in their kitty would have made the points table remarkably interesting. Instead of different teams, with different distances to claim the fourth spot; it would have been a five-horse race.
The permutations and combinations that go along that scenario would have made the rest of the season an overly exciting watch. As it made every single match important. But that is not the case anymore.
The permutations and combinations that go along that scenario would have made the rest of the season an overly exciting watch. As it made every single match important. But that is not the case anymore.
Having 14 points against your name also is not safe enough yet this season. Delhi Capitals can attest to it. To qualify for the playoffs, the teams need a minimum of 16 points. Delhi reached a total of 14, three games ago. And have lost the next three games, leaving them stranded on 14. If their streak of losses does continue, they might not make it to the playoffs even with 14 points. Provided certain matches play out in accordance with permutations and combinations of that scenario.
The prediction for the match on 28th October is that the team winning it would be the first team to qualify for the playoffs this season. Theoretically, that might be the case. But data suggests otherwise. There is still a scenario where five teams end up with 16 points and run rate comes into the picture. The berths for the play-offs are still open.
There is still a scenario where five teams end up with 16 points and run rate comes into the picture. The berths for the play-offs are still open.
So, folks, fasten your seatbelts for the thriller leg of this IPL. Every single game matters from this point on. And hope the dice of luck rolls in the favour of your teams. The IPL is not for the faint-hearted and the road ahead for the teams is not! Looking forward to a great week in the league.
Photos sourced by the author
Feature picture from https://twitter.com/crickwithki/status/1320064914640207872
