As Top 3 are assured of qualification, the race is on for remaining spot between four teams. Nail biting times ahead.
Knight Riders and Kings XI are both on 10 points, with wide NRR gap with SRH, Today’s game is a virtual eliminator.
On the off chance that Knight Riders lose today, even by a thin margin, of few runs, they will have a must win last game - with a big margin at that against MI. They will also have to hope for SRH to loose to RCB with similar margin.
Even the winners of TOday’s game will have to wait on the result of SRH final league game to know their chances of qualifying. If SRH win, they will almost certainly take the fourth playoff spot. If, for example, If SRH lose to RCB, then the winner of the Kings XI-Knight Riders game will make the playoffs if they also win their last league game.
The other team in the hunt for a playoff spot is RR, at 11 points with a game to play, against DC on Saturday. MI’s Super Over win on Thursday means RR still have a chance of qualifying. That will only happen if they beat Capitals, if SRH lose to RCB, and if the winners of the KXI-KKR game lose their last match.
That’s good news to RCB! So, all the while the coveted 4th spot was not as difficult as it appeared. With all the odds playing out, it was just a battle to be the best amongst the perceived superior teams.