IPL : Did the mid season results matter on the playoff chances

So far, the competition has been quite unpredictable, with all the top five franchises appearing to have a solid chance of winning. As all the teams have played almost 7-8 matches, the teams performances have justified their place in the playoffs. Let's look at what might be in store for clubs moving forward as the season enters the second half.

Qualification scenario 

Currently, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore are looking good to qualify for the playoffs with their performance till now. If we take a look at the points table of the league, it displays the performances of all teams in the league till now. Rajasthan Royals defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore to claim the top spot in the points table with 12 points. They have won 6 out of the eight matches played. They need two more wins to qualify for the playoffs.

On the other hand, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bangalore grab spots at 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place, respectively. The new franchise Gujarat Titans have 12 points and two wins away from qualifying, whereas the rest all have 10 points each. These teams need three more wins to seal their position in the playoffs. These five teams can be expected to qualify for the playoffs as the key contenders.

Teams such as Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) can also make it to the playoffs if they start playing well in the second half of the competition. Punjab has eight points and has to win four more victories to make it to the playoffs. Delhi and Kolkata have six points each and will have to fight hard to make it to the knockout stage. On the other hand, Chennai will be dependent on other teams' match outcomes to qualify for the playoffs as it has just 4 points. Mumbai Indians have virtually been knocked out of the tournament and have zero chances of making it to the playoffs. Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, and Rajasthan Royals are the key contenders to win the tournament this year, considering the strength of their squads and the current form of their star players. These teams have been brilliant throughout the tournament and are heading towards qualification.

MI: A big obstacle for the teams in the playoffs journey

Talking about MI, the team is now out of the league as they have incurred eight losses in 8 matches. Although it is out of the playoffs race, the team will still play a crucial role in the qualification of other teams. CSK, KKR and DC are the three teams who have their further matches against Mumbai Indians as well as the teams are in a crucial stage in the tournament. These teams need to win every match further, especially CSK, while MI can be a massive obstacle for them to overcome.

Looking at the current scenario, some teams have made their ways quite clear towards the playoffs, while for some teams, the situation is do or die. Some teams need to win a few matches, while others need to win almost all remaining games. So probably the real battle towards the playoffs has begun now. Mid-season results are affecting the results of qualification. While some teams are sure to make the playoffs due to their dominance in the tournament's first half, some teams will struggle due to their poor start. It is interesting to see which four of the nine teams will make their way towards the qualification as MI is out of the playoffs race.