IPL 2026 Playoff Qualification Scenario: 5 matches left, RR maintain lead as PBKS and KKR chase the last spot – paths outlined for each team | cricket news
RR has the advantage in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. (Photo courtesy: IPL)
With five games left in the IPL 2026 league stage, LSG and MI are already out of the playoff race, while RCB, GT and SRH have qualified. Among other teams, RR is ranked best, followed by PBKS and KKR. DC and CSK are still in the mix but only mathematically. There are now 32 possible combinations of results, so nothing is certain yet for any of the five remaining in the race who have not qualified. We look at their path to qualification:
- RR will have to beat MI in their last game to ensure qualification. This would leave them with the possibility of a three-way tie for second place (with SRH and GT if those teams lose their final game) or a tie for third place with SRH or GT. If they lose against MI, they have to hope that PBKS doesn’t beat LSG
- PBKS must defeat LSG to have any chance of qualifying. Even if they do that, they will need MI to beat RR. If that happens, the KKR-DC game will determine whether PBKS will finish sole fourth or tie with KKR for fourth
- KKR has to beat DC. But this alone is not enough. They need MI to beat RR. If that happens, the PBKS-LSG game will decide whether KKR will remain sole at fourth place or tie with PBKS at that spot.
- DC will not only have to beat KKR, they will also need two other results to go their way – LSG beats PBKS and MI beat RR – to even tie for fourth place with RR or KKR and CSK. Their net run rate is much worse than both, meaning the chances of qualification appear to be only theoretical.
- CSK’s position is even more dependent on other results. They have to beat GT and then hope that three other results go in their favor – LSG beats PBKS, MI beats RR and DC beats KKR. If all this happens, CSK will move to fourth position along with RR and DC. Their current net run rate is worse than RR but better than DC