IPL 2026 Playoff Qualification Scenarios: With 3 matches to go, RCB seal top spot; RR, PBKS, KKR, DC in race for final spot - paths for each team explained
The IPL 2026 playoff race intensifies with four teams vying for the final spot. Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a win but missed a top-two finish. Rajasthan Royals are frontrunners, needing a win against Mumbai Indians.
Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Delhi Capitals face uphill battles, requiring specific results and strong Net Run Rates to qualify.
NEW DELHI: The race for the final IPL 2026 playoff spot is now down to four teams after Sunrisers Hyderabad hammered Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 55 runs in their final league-stage clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Despite the defeat, RCB finished at the top of the points table and the defending champions will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium. SRH, meanwhile, could not achieve the massive margin needed to break into the top two.
Pat Cummins’ side eventually finished third and will now feature in the Eliminator on May 27 in Mullanpur. With RCB, GT and SRH already through, the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot is now between Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. RCB vs GT in Qualifier 1 GT’s emphatic win over Chennai Super Kings earlier this week took them to 18 points with a healthy Net Run Rate of +0.
695, leaving Shubman Gill’s side waiting for the result of the SRH vs RCB clash. For SRH to leapfrog both GT and RCB and seal a top-two finish, they needed an extraordinary win margin against Bengaluru. After piling up 255/4, SRH needed to beat RCB by at least 90 runs to go past RCB’s NRR.
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