Published on: May 11, 2026 2:53 pm IST|Updated on: May 11, 2026 2:55 pm IST
The Tata IPL 2026 is heading into the business end. Sunday turned out to be a day when we got our first elimination. In the afternoon game between Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings at the Chepauk in Chennai, Lucknow’s defeat by 5 wickets meant that their season for 2026 is done now. Lucknow, languishing right at the bottom, managed only 3 wins and lost 8 games out of 11, and are now left with three more fixtures before they end their season.
The evening game was a humdinger that saw the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, taking on the 5-time champions, Mumbai Indians, at their adopted home for this season, i.e., Raipur. Royal Challengers defeated the Mumbai Indians on the final delivery to kick the 5-time champions out of Tata IPL 2026. After last night, we are now left with only 8 teams who will now fight it out to secure the final four spots on the points table. Let’s move ahead now and see which four teams have the best chance of making it to the playoffs, but first up, let’s take a look at the current points table.
The most likely teams to make it to the playoffs right now are the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad, the 2022 champions Gujarat Titans, the reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings. SRH, GT, and RCB are tied with 14 points from 11 games as they have won 7 and lost 4. These three are likely to get into the playoffs, considering they just need to win one game out of the remaining three and have quite a healthy net-run-rate.
The fourth team that is most likely to make it to the playoffs is last season’s finalist Punjab Kings. Punjab has the potential to finish the group stage as the leaders, as they have played one game fewer than the top three teams and have lost only three games, compared to the other three teams, which have lost four games each. Punjab will next play the Delhi Capitals, who are hanging by a thread now. If Punjab Kings defeat Delhi Capitals tonight, they will be elevated to the top of the points table with 7 wins, 3 losses, and a no-result game to their name. They will have one foot in the playoffs as the one point, which they secured by playing a no-result fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders, will almost book their playoff berth.
The Delhi Capitals are lying in the 8th position on the points table with 8 points. They have secured 4 wins and 7 losses from 11 games, and their season is almost done. Even if DC managed to win all their remaining three fixtures, they will best get to 14 points, which in the past we have seen teams getting through with the same number of points, but it doesn’t seem to be happening this season, courtesy of a torrid net run rate they have, which is the worst among all other teams this season.
On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royals are perhaps sailing on the same ship, particularly the Royals and Super Kings. Both teams have secured 6 wins from 11 games and have lost 5. Both are tied on 12 points and are placed 6th and 5th, respectively, on the points table. One more win for either of the teams will potentially close the playoff doors for the Delhi Capitals. Also, if both teams win their remaining three fixtures, they will displace two of the four teams in the top four now and book playoff berths.
The 3-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders have seemingly risen from the deathbed. A team that was nowhere close to making it to the playoffs is enduring perhaps the best run of the season. The Ajinkya Rahane-led side kicked off their season campaign in the disastrous way possible, losing 6 games in a row. However, they seem to have turned the tables around with 4 wins on the trot now and knocking on the playoffs’ door. The Knight Riders are now left with 4 more fixtures, and if they manage to continue their dream run and secure four more wins on the bounce, KKR will storm into the playoffs and perhaps complete the greatest comeback in IPL history.
Tags: IPL 2026