The Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured their eighth win in nine IPL 2024 matches after defeating the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by seven wickets on Saturday, April 27. This puts them in a strong position, but they haven't officially clinched a playoff spot yet, despite having 16 points.
The current IPL points table has an interesting quirk. While 16 points often guarantees a playoff berth under normal circumstances, the tight competition this season means other teams, except the struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore, are mathematically still in the running to reach 16 points themselves. Therefore, one more win would be the key for Rajasthan to secure a top-four finish and officially enter the playoffs.
The race for playoffs heats up
The remaining matches of IPL 2024 promise to be thrilling as several teams vie for playoff spots.
Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings face an uphill battle. They need to win all five remaining games to reach eight wins in total.
Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals have a slightly better chance. They can afford to lose just one more match, but a second defeat could jeopardize their playoff hopes.
Chennai Super Kings have a little more breathing room. They can lose two games and still be in contention.
However, if the competition gets tight and multiple teams end up with similar points, the Net Run Rate (NRR) will become the deciding factor.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad are in a relatively comfortable position. With five wins from eight games, they have some buffer and can afford a couple of losses.
Upcoming Matches for Rajasthan Royals:
| RR vs | Teams | Date |
| RR vs | Sunrisers Hyderabad | May 2 |
| RR vs | Delhi Capitals | May 7 |
| RR vs | Chennai Super Kings | May 12 |
| RR vs | Punjab Kings | May 15 |
| RR vs | Kolkata Knight | May 19 |
Here's how the IPL 2024's points table looks like:
| Pos. | Team | Mat. | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
| 1 | Rajasthan Royals | 9 | 8 | 1 | 16 | +0.694 |
| 2 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | +0.972 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | +0.577 |
| 4 | Lucknow Super Giants | 9 | 5 | 4 | 10 | +0.059 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | +0.276 |
| 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | +0.415 |
| 7 | Gujarat Titans | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 | -0.974 |
| 8 | Punjab Kings | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | -0.187 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 | -0.261 |
| 10 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 | -0.721 |
Rajasthan on the verge of playoffs
The road to the playoffs looks bright for Rajasthan Royals. They only need one victory from their remaining five matches to secure a top-four finish mathematically. This win would guarantee their place in the knockout stages. However, even in the unlikely scenario of losing all their remaining games, there's still a possibility of Rajasthan making the playoffs.
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