• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

RCB vs CSK, IPL 2024 Playoffs Scenarios: Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings are all set to face off in match 68 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, May 18.

The match will work as a virtual knockout game as one of these two teams will make it to the playoffs whereas the other will end their campaign in the tournament.

Currently, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunriser Hyderabad have qualified for the playoffs and CSK have the upper hand in the race for the fourth spot.

The defending champions CSK stand in the fourth position in the points table with seven wins and 14 points after 13 matches.

On the other hand, RCB are placed sixth with six wins and 12 points under their belt in 13 matches.

Notably, CSK have already defeated the Faf du Plessis-led RCB in the reverse fixture in Chennai earlier this season.

The road seems to be a tougher one for RCB due to their lower net run rate of +0.378 than that of CSK's +0.528.

They will need to beat CSK by a margin of at least 18 runs if they bat first and put a total of 200.

If they register a win by 17 runs or less in the same scenario, they will be eliminated due to their inferior net run rate.

In case of the run chase, they would need to reach the target with 11 balls to spare, for example, while chasing a target of 201 runs.

CSK, on the other hand, have a slightly better chance to qualify for the playoffs yet another time in their IPL history.

A win or a defeat with a narrow defeat will be enough for the five-time champions to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs.

 

How can both CSK and RCB miss out on IPL 2024 playoff qualification?

There's also a scenario that is close to unrealistic but would see both CSK and RCB get knocked out of the playoffs.

If Lucknow Super Giants win their final match of this season against Mumbai Indians by a huge margin and increase their net run rate to get above RCB then they will stand a chance.

If the LSG beat MI and take their NRR above RCB's they will then hope that RCB beat CSK on Sunday but the win of Du Plessis's team must not come with a big margin.