IPL 2019 Playoffs Prediction: The Sportsrush presents before you names of the Top Four teams which will qualify for the playoffs.
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The ongoing 12th season of the Indian Premier League is into its business end now. With only four days and six matches remaining in the league stage, the Top Four teams will eventually be finalized on this Sunday.
With nine wins in 13 matches, defending champions Chennai Super Kings have already qualified for the playoffs. With eight wins in 13 matches, Delhi Capitals will also make their presence feel in the playoff stages.
As many as five remaining teams (other than Royal Challengers Bangalore) will fight it out in the upcoming days, all wanting to claim their spot for the playoffs.
Mumbai Indians – Third team to qualify?
Mumbai Indians, who have 14 points to their name from 12 matches, look all but set to qualify. With them slated to play Sunrisers Hyderabad (tonight) and Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, even one victory (something which they are expected to register) will see them in the above half of the table.
Imagining if Indians lose both their matches, they will still be able to qualify for the playoffs without the interruption of Net Run Rate. The only condition in which MI won’t qualify is them losing both these matches by a drastic difference and then falling behind on NRR, which is highly unlikely. Because most cases favour MI, expecting them to qualify is not too much to ask.
Sunrisers Hyderabad as the fourth team?
Taking into consideration the remaining matches, there is a strong possibility that the current Top Four teams will end up qualifying for the playoffs. Going by that scenario, Sunrisers Hyderabad will become the fourth team to qualify.
However, the biggest hindrance for them will be the opening batsman David Warner returning back to Australia to prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Will Hyderabad be able to dominate in the manner that they did in the presence of IPL 2019’s highest run-scorer remains the big question.
While Warner and Jonny Bairstow’s form has overshadowed SRH’s performance as team, it is worth mentioning that the current runners-up had reached the final last year in Warner and Bairstow’s absence.
What about Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab?
Currently at No. 5, 6 and 7 respectively, Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab all have chances of making it to the playoffs.
Looking set to to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore in a five-over contest at Bengaluru, RR would be ruing the fact that rain played spoilsport for the umpteenth time led the umpires to call-off the match.
With five wins in 12 matches, both Kolkata and Punjab majorly have to win both their matches. While both the teams have struggled predominantly in the tournament, KKR all-rounder Andre Russell is the difference between them.
There is no denying the fact that Knight Riders have thrived on Russell’s batting form in IPL 2019. A couple of more such innings could aid KKR in making the cut, they still might have to come to terms with the Net Run Rate.
With an NRR already in negative, Kings XI have a monumental task lying in front of them.
IPL 2019 Playoffs Prediction
Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
