IPL 2026 Playoff Scenarios: CSK, RCB, GT & More

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-05-14

Virat Kohli's unbeaten 105 off 60 balls against KKR on May 13 didn't just win RCB a match in Raipur. It completely reshuffled the entire IPL 2026 playoff picture. With 13 league games left and LSG and MI already eliminated, eight teams are scrapping for four spots. ### IPL 2026 Playoffs Scenario After Match 57 Here's where things stand right now: | Position | Team | M | Win | Loss | N/R | Points | NRR | M. Left | Qualifying % | |----------|------|---|---|------|-----|--------|-----|---------|--------------| | 1 | RCB | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 1.053 | 2 | 99% | | 2 | GT | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0.551 | 2 | 99% | | 3 | SRH | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0.331 | 2 | 75% | | 4 | PBKS | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0.428 | 3 | 63% | | 5 | CSK | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0.185 | 3 | 53% | | 6 | RR | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0.082 | 3 | 52% | | 7 | DC | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | -0.993 | 2 | 3% | | 8 | KKR | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 9 | -0.198 | 3 | 3% |  ### Royal Challengers Bengaluru Sixteen points from 12 games and an NRR of 1.103, the best in the league, puts RCB in a very strong position. Their playoff probability stands at 99%, with an 80% chance of a top-two finish. Remaining games against PBKS and SRH are tough but very winnable. With Kohli batting like this, it would take something extraordinary to keep them out. ### Gujarat Titans Gujarat Titans, with 16 points, are one of the strongest placed teams in the competition right now, carrying a 99% qualification probability and a 75% chance of finishing in the top two. They're on a four-match winning streak and play two of their last three at home in Ahmedabad. Barring a dramatic collapse, they are going through. ### Sunrisers Hyderabad SRH have won six of their last seven and sit on 14 points with a 75% chance of making the playoffs. Their NRR of 0.737 is the second best in the competition, which matters if it gets tight. The problem is their remaining fixtures - CSK and RCB - are arguably the hardest draw of any team left in contention. They are well placed but far from certain. ### Punjab Kings Seven games unbeaten to open the season, then four losses in a row. PBKS are still fourth on the table with 13 points and a 63% qualification probability, but the momentum has completely shifted. Two of their three remaining opponents are already eliminated, so the games are there to be won. The bigger concern is confidence, and whether a side that looked unstoppable a fortnight ago can find that form again quickly enough. ### Chennai Super Kings Three losses from their first four games had CSK written off early. Since then, they have won six of eight and worked their way back to 12 points and a 53% playoff probability. Eighteen points should be enough to qualify, and they still have games against LSG, SRH, and GT. Beating either of the latter two would significantly strengthen their position. ### Rajasthan Royals RR were sitting third as recently as two weeks ago. Five defeats in their last seven have changed everything. They are still alive at 52% probability, but their NRR of 0.082 is a real concern - if it comes down to run rate at the end, they are among the most vulnerable. Remaining games against DC, LSG, and MI are all winnable, and they may need to win them by big margins, not just win them. ### Delhi Capitals A 3% qualification probability and an NRR of -0.993 tells the story. DC beat PBKS to stay technically alive, but they only have two games remaining. Even two wins and 14 points would almost certainly not be enough without a dramatic improvement in run rate across both those matches. They need multiple results to break their way simultaneously, which makes their situation borderline impossible. ### Kolkata Knight Riders The loss to RCB dropped KKR's playoff probability to just 3%, and a top-two finish is no longer possible even in a tied scenario. They still have four games left - more than anyone - but need to win all of them and depend heavily on results elsewhere. Their last three are at home at Eden Gardens, where they have managed just one win all season. It's a long shot. ### Key Takeaways - RCB and GT are almost guaranteed playoff spots - SRH, PBKS, CSK, and RR are in a tight battle for the remaining two spots - DC and KKR need miracles to qualify - Net run rate could be the deciding factor for several teams