IPL: Teams in the playoff and the final phase of the tournament

 While Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants have sealed their qualification, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders have suffered the elimination. On the flip side, all the other sides do have a chance to march ahead.

While the Titans are guaranteed a first-place finish, Lucknow, too, has qualified for playoffs. Rajasthan Royals has almost made their entry inevitable in the playoffs. CSK and MI are battling for the wooden spoon at the bottom of the points table. The other teams are competing for the remaining spots in the playoffs.

Delhi Capitals: Decider for many 

For the Delhi Capitals, the next match is highly crucial as the team will have a high chance of qualification if it wins the next game against MI. The most significant advantage that DC has over other teams is their high net run rate. Their favourable Net Run Rate of +0.255 will come in handy as they look to finish in the final four. Delhi might be knocked out even if they win their last game if RCB manages to beat Gujarat Titans by a vast margin and get to 16 points - a scenario that looks improbable. If DC lose their final game, they should hope RCB lose their last match, and also, Punjab Kings or Sunrisers Hyderabad don't get to a better Net Run Rate if there is a 3-way tie on 14 points. Hence DC's loss against MI will open doors of hope for many teams, and the match will be a crucial one for all the teams.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: All eyes are on the final match against GT

RCB are in the 5th spot with 14 points, and they need a massive win against Gujarat Titans to make it to the playoffs. RCB will also be hoping that DC doesn't win their final game, as a Delhi win would eliminate their chances. If RCB loses their last game and gets to a 3-way tie on 14 points, they are unlikely to qualify as DC has a superior Net Run Rate on 14 points with a game in hand. In other words, Royal Challengers will have to win their last match against table-toppers Titans and hope that Capitals lose against Mumbai Indians.

Royal Challengers Bangalore's playoff chances are hanging by a thread due to their poor net run rate, and just a win against Gujarat Titans may not be enough.

A tricky equation for Punjab and Hyderabad

Punjab Kings are at the 6th spot with 12 points and a negative Net Run Rate of -0.043. They need nothing less than a massive win in their final league game against SunRisers Hyderabad to remain alive in the playoff race. PBKS will also need RCB and DC to lose their last matches and a 3-way tie on 14 points. PBKS also need DC to lose their final game by a considerable margin to leapfrog them to the 4th spot.

The equation for SRH is similar to that of PBKS, but their Net Run Rate is making things more complex for them. SRH will need to hammer PBKS by a considerable margin and hope both DC (lose their final by a significant margin) and RCB don't win their last league games.

Thus, the other few matches will be crucial for the teams, and it will be pretty interesting to see which team makes it to the playoffs.