The IPL 2026 has become very interesting due to the results over the past week or so. That is because the teams in the top half of the points table have endured defeats while those in the bottom half have managed to put together victories, even if it might be a bit too late.
Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings (PBKS) were the table leaders for the majority of the season so far, but now they have lost three games in a row and consequently lost their numero uno spot to Pat Cummins’ Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have gone down in their last two games, leading to skipper Rajat Patidar to quip, “We are not playing as defending champions this season.”
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) had a great start to the tournament with four wins in four outings, but Riyan Parag’s side has suffered a slide to manage only two wins in their next six clashes. Gujarat Titans (GT), currently placed fifth, have been clinical in their victories but showed signs of worry in their defeats.
The teams in the bottom half of the table have all been inconsistent. A factor for that has also been the injuries in their camps.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have 10 points in 10 games, Delhi Capitals (DC) have earned 8 points in 10 games, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have managed 7 points in 9 games. These three teams still have their playoffs qualification fate in their own hands: that is, if they win their remaining matches, they will qualify for the next stage.
Interestingly, the bottom two teams – Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) – are still alive in the race. They have kept themselves afloat through victories in their last outings: MI thumped LSG before LSG registered a narrow victory over RCB.
How Can MI And LSG Still Qualify For IPL 2026 Playoffs?
Both MI and LSG have 6 points in 10 games each. That means that the maximum they can reach, if they win their remaining four matches, is 14 points. While 14 points is not considered safe for playoffs qualification, they are mathematically still in the playoffs race.
There are multiple precedents of teams qualifying for the playoffs/semi-finals with 14 points in the IPL. In IPL 2024, RCB just snuck in the playoffs at 14 points owing to a superior NRR than the 5th-placed CSK.
So yes, MI and LSG can still qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs. For that, they will have to win their four matches to end up at 14 points; boost their NRR to give them an edge if they are tied on points with any other team; and also crucially, hope for some other results to go their way so that no more than three teams attain over 14 points.
The chances of all of these happening are slim. But the IPL has seen several unbelievable and miraculous events taking place, especially with teams qualifying after lagging behind for 8-9 matches.
The remainder of Mumbai’s four matches are against RCB, PBKS, KKR, and RR. LSG will face CSK in back-to-back matches and then meet RR and PBKS.
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