The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have secured their spot in the IPL 2024 playoffs by defeating the Punjab Kings with a convincing 60-run victory at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala.
After clinching their fifth victory of the IPL 2024 season, RCB now sits at the number 7 spot, a significant move considering their recent winning streak. Led by Virat Kohli, who played a stellar innings of 92 runs off just 47 balls, RCB seems to have found their rhythm. Alongside Kohli, players like Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, and Dinesh Karthik also contributed with impressive performances, helping RCB set a formidable total of 241 runs against the Punjab-based team.
However, despite their recent success, RCB’s chances of making it to the playoffs remain slim. Their qualification relies not only on winning their remaining two matches against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings but also on other teams’ performances. To secure a spot in the top 4, RCB needs to win both matches and hope for losses from teams like CSK, DC, and LSG in their respective fixtures. It’s a tense situation where RCB’s fate hangs in the balance, heavily influenced by the outcomes of other teams’ matches.
RCB qualification scenario breakdown
Points – 10
Remaining fixtures – Delhi Capitals (H), Chennai Super Kings (H)
Maximum points they can get to – 14
Current Net Run Rate – +0.217
To secure a playoff spot, RCB’s path is pretty clear:
To secure a 3rd-place finish in the IPL 2024 points table with 14 points, RCB needs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to stumble in their last three games. CSK faces off against Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals, and RCB has to take on CSK twice in their remaining matches.
RCB’s first task is to defeat Rishabh Pant’s Delhi Capitals, and then they’ll have to hope Delhi loses against Lucknow Super Giants. Lucknow’s victory over Delhi is crucial. Additionally, Lucknow should lose to Mumbai Indians for RCB’s 3rd-place hopes to stay alive.
For RCB to secure a 4th-place finish, both CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) must lose at least two of their last three matches. If either team ends up with 16 points or both with 18, RCB’s chances are dashed. However, if one of them finishes with 16 points and the other with 18, RCB still has a slim hope, as they can only reach 14 points.
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