NEW DELHI
The race for the IPL 2026 playoffs has entered a thrilling phase with no team officially qualifying yet despite the tournament nearing the end of its league stage.
With less than two weeks remaining before the knockout rounds, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans currently lead the standings with 14 points each from 11 matches and are considered favourites to secure playoff berths.
According to projections shared by IPL broadcasters, Gujarat Titans, RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad each have nearly an 80 per cent chance of reaching the playoffs. Punjab Kings remain in contention with a 62.5 per cent qualification probability despite their recent slump in form.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings have a 42.7 per cent chance of advancing, while Rajasthan Royals — powered by the emergence of youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — stand close behind at 41.8 per cent.
The playoff battle remains open because the “magic number” in the 10-team IPL format has historically been 16 points. Since 2022, teams finishing fourth have generally qualified with at least 16 points, although in 2024, Delhi Capitals, Chennai, Rajasthan and RCB all finished on 14 points, with net run rate deciding the final spot.
Further down the table, Kolkata Knight Riders still possess an outside chance at 11.6 per cent despite having only nine points from 10 matches. Delhi Capitals, with 10 points from 12 matches, face an uphill task with their qualification chances dropping to just 1.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer admitted his side’s repeated bowling and fielding failures were hurting their campaign after a fourth straight defeat against Delhi Capitals.
“I won’t beat around the bush, I’ll just say fielding and bowling again,” Iyer said after Punjab failed to defend 210 at Dharamshala.
With several teams still mathematically alive, the final week of league matches promises intense competition and dramatic twists in the playoff race.
