EXPLAINED: Why Rajasthan Royals with 16 points haven't yet qualified for IPL 2024's playoffs? Know the math behind this

Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson (L) celebrate with his teammate Dhruv Jurel after victory over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2024 clash on April 27. (Getty)
Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson (L) celebrate with his teammate Dhruv Jurel after victory over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2024 clash on April 27. (Getty)

Highlights:

Rajasthan Royals have won eight out of nine games in the ongoing IPL 2024.

Even after securing 16 points, RR's playoff berth hasn't been confirmed yet.

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.

 

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ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Dhruv Jurel pays tribute to his father with salute celebration, reveals reason behind his gesture after leading RR to win over LSG

 

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 vsTeamsDate
RR vsSunrisers HyderabadMay 2
RR vsDelhi CapitalsMay 7
RR vsChennai Super KingsMay 12
RR vsPunjab KingsMay 15
RR vsKolkata KnightMay 19

 

 

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ALSO READ: IPL 2024, LSG vs RR: Rajasthan Royals continue to soar as Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel's fifties script 7-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants

 

Here's how the IPL 2024's points table looks like:

Pos.TeamMat.WonLostPointsNRR
1Rajasthan Royals98116+0.694
2Kolkata Knight Riders85310+0.972
3Sunrisers Hyderabad85310+0.577
4Lucknow Super Giants95410+0.059
5Delhi Capitals105510+0.276
6Chennai Super Kings8448+0.415
7Gujarat Titans9458-0.974
8Punjab Kings9366-0.187
9Mumbai Indians9366-0.261
10Royal Challengers Bengaluru9274-0.721

 

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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