28 April,2023 08:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Marcus Stoinis (R) plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants (Pic: AFP)
As things stand halfway through the tournament at the moment, Rajasthan Royals are seated atop the table with Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings trailing them at second and third respectively with ten points each. The battle for the third and fourth spots continues to intensify with three teams sharing eight points, i.e. Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Punjab Kings, and two at six, i.e. Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals meanwhile, are languishing at the bottom, having bagged only four points each.
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will play host to the four playoff matches of the Indian Premier League 2023. After the conclusion of the league stage on May 21, the four teams will travel to the two cities, where the Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will be played at Chepauk on May 23 and 24, while the world's largest cricket stadium, in Ahmedabad, will conduct the Qualifier 2 and the Final on May 26 and 28.
Weeks ahead of the IPL 2023 Playoffs, let's take a close look at what remains at stake for all the ten teams in the tournament.
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To secure a spot in the playoffs, Delhi needs to put a stop to their recent decline. While they continue to languish at the bottom of the points table with four points another defeat could put the side in a more uncomfortable position. With seven more games left, Delhi can secure a maximum of 18 points. Winning all the remaining games could see them make it to the Playoffs.
Remaining fixtures:
Past performances: Finished fifth in the last season under Rishabh Pant's captaincy.
No. of times qualified for Playoffs: 6 out of 15
Best Result: 2nd (2020)
Rajasthan Royals have had a decent start to their campaign in the IPL 2023 season. The side reclaimed the top spot in the points table with a commanding 32-run win against CSK on Thursday. With eight matches already played and seven more to go, the team will look to maintain their momentum and secure a place in the playoffs.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: The inaugural edition winner Royals finished as the runner-up last year.
No. of times Qualified for Playoffs: 5 out of 13
Best Result: Winner (2008)
Currently fourth in the points table with eight points, LSG have made a promising start to their IPL 2023 campaign. With seven more matches to go, the team will be looking to build on their early momentum and secure a place in the playoffs.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Like Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants too made their appearance in the last season but finished fourth.
No. of times Qualified for Playoffs: 1 out of 1
Best Result: 4th (2022)
Despite being plagued by injuries throughout the tournament every now and then, CSK managed to secure ten points from eight games and dropped to the third spot after their recent defeat against Royals.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Four-time champions CSK ended the last season in the ninth position.
No. of times Qualified for Playoffs: 11 out of 13
Best Result: Winner (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021)
Also Read: Fourth week of IPL: Great for Arshdeep, Rahane, not so good for KL, Arjun
As one would expect, defending champions Gujarat have been exceptional throughout the season. Though the Pandya-led Titans appeared formidable in some games, the Rinku Singh blitzkrieg exposed their vulnerabilities. With ten points from seven games, Pandya & Co have seven games remaining to make some necessary course corrections. To secure a place in the playoffs, the Titans need to achieve at least four wins in their remaining games and seal the 18-point mark.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Making their debut in the IPL 2022 season, Titans won their maiden trophy by beating Royals.
No. of times Qualified for Playoff: 01 out of 01
Best Result: Winner (2022)
Losing Jonny Bairstow was a significant setback for the team, and to make matters even worse, both Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone are currently recovering from injuries. With seven games remaining in the tournament, PBKS will need to win at least five matches to secure their spot in the playoffs.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Punjab Kings, who have been struggling to lay hands on the IPL Trophy since 2008, finished sixth last year. It is the only active team to have the lowest appearance in the IPL playoffs so far.
No. of times Qualified for Playoffs: 2 out of 15
Best Result: Runner-up (2014)
Mumbai has all hopes relied on Jason Behrendorff to deliver in the absence of Jofra Archer, who is still recovering from an elbow injury. With six points from games, Rohit Sharma & Co. have seven games remaining in the tournament and need to win at least six matches to secure a spot in the playoffs. Additionally, they must also improve their net run rate to increase their chances of qualifying.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Five-time champions Mumbai finished last in IPL 2022.
No. of times qualified for Playoffs: 9 out of 15
Best Result: Winner (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
Also Read: IPL 2023 Points Table: Clinical Royals reclaim top spot with 32-run win over CSK
KKR has had a bittersweet performance throughout IPL 2023 and has several gaps to fill. Although the absence of Shreyas Iyer presents a challenge, players like Rinku Singh and Venkatesh Iyer have stepped up on several occasions. Despite their valiant efforts, KKR has only managed to secure six points from eight games, and will need to win all of their remaining six games to secure a spot in the Playoffs.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: The Knights finished seventh in the last season.
No. of times qualified for Playoffs: 7 out of 15
Best Result: Winner (2012, 2014)
RCB has been facing some challenges in their bowling unit due to the absence of Josh Hazlewood, and the departure of Reece Topley has only worsened matters. However, Mohammed Siraj has been in red-hot form throughout the season. In terms of batting, only a few top-order batters, including Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell, have been performing well, while the rest are yet to deliver on the biggest stage. With eight points from eight games, RCB will need to win their remaining six games to secure a spot in the Playoffs.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Royal Challengers is also one among the three teams who are still awaiting their maiden trophy. The side finished third last year.
No. of times qualified for Playoffs: 8 out of 15
Best Result: 0
SRH's once-powerful bowling line-up has now become a cause of concern due to an unstable Playing XI. Even seasoned players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been out of form. In the batting department, the team lacks finesse and edge with even captain Aiden Markram and Mayank Agarwal struggling to find form. To have a chance at smoothly qualifying for the playoffs, SRH needs to win all seven of its remaining games.
Remaining Fixtures:
Past performances: Sunrisers finished eighth in the previous edition.
No. of times qualified for Playoffs: 6 out of 10
Best Result: Winner (2016)
Also Read: IPL 2023 Playoff & Final: Schedule, squads, points table, live streaming, & more
