Gujarat Titans produced a dominant performance to secure an 89-run victory over Chennai Super Kings at their home ground on Thursday, May 21, and the result sealed a top-two finish for the third time in just their five seasons. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru moved into the qualifying positions even after losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad, finishing first in the standings thanks to a powerful net run-rate, with Hyderabad ending up third. Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are still pushing for the final qualification spot as the points table tightens further. The permutations below are calculated with the assumption that a team’s first-innings total is 200.
Key takeaways
- GT’s 89-run home win over CSK on May 21 confirmed the franchise a top-two finish for the third time in five IPL campaigns.
- RCB clinched a qualifier spot despite a loss to SRH, finishing top on net run-rate while SRH secured third place.
- RR, PBKS and KKR are still in contention for the fourth spot as qualification scenarios narrow down.
- All net run-rate scenarios in this rundown are worked out using a first-innings score of 200.
- One key pathway for PBKS and KKR involves winning specific matches; at the same time, DC’s net run-rate leaves them with very little margin.
How the race for the fourth spot is shaping up
With the top two positions already effectively locked by the results involving GT and RCB, the focus is now on who catches the remaining qualification slot. Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders remain alive, while Delhi Capitals are hanging on to a narrow mathematical chance. The qualification possibilities depend heavily on match results across May 23 and May 24, and on how the net run-rate calculations swing under the 200-run first-innings assumption.
Qualification scenarios involving PBKS, KKR and RR
In the event of defeat, the remaining route for the chasing teams becomes extremely limited. For PBKS, qualification can still happen without needing net run-rate if three particular results break in their favour. KKR, similarly, can reach the next stage without having to rely on net run-rate—provided the required outcomes align.
A specific scenario is also in play when considering the situation where both PBKS and KKR win, and RR ends their campaign with 14 points. In that case, the net run-rate trajectory becomes crucial: if PBKS defeat LSG by 10 runs on Saturday, they would finish on 15 points with an NRR of +0.246. For KKR to leapfrog that position, they would need results to swing decisively in their favour.
Where DC stand and what they would need
Delhi Capitals have a scenario where they could finish level with RR on 14 points, with both PBKS and KKR ending on 13. However, DC’s net run-rate sits at -0.871, which effectively rules them out despite the points tie. The permutations also highlight the cascading effects of other results: if MI were to beat RR by 100 runs, RR’s net run-rate would slide down to -0.308. For DC to move past that threshold, they would require an emphatic win—beating KKR by at least 129 runs.
