Picture Credit: IPL/BCCI
After losing 8 out of their first 9 IPL matches, SRH have almost been eliminated from playoffs race in the 2021 season. However, they still hold a very minute chance of qualifying for the playoffs mathematically if they manage to win their remaining 4 games of this season and all other results in the league stage go their way.
Currently, SRH have won only 2 out of 10 games in IPL 2021 and they are placed at bottom of points table. At best, SRH can win 6 out 14 games in this 2021 season and in the 2019 season SRH managed to enter playoffs by winning just 6 out 14 games. Also, SRH have consistently entered playoffs in the last five IPL seasons from 2016-2020.
Here in this article we will have a look at best possible scenario for SRH out of 2 (or) 3 different cases.
Scenario :- CSK & DC have already greater than 12 points. RCB are exactly at 12 points.
Best Case for SRH to qualify for IPL 2021 Playoffs:
1. Thing that SRH can do with their schedule:
SRH win their remaining 4 games against CSK, KKR, RCB and MI and reach 12 points. Winning with a big margin could help their NRR to get better and come ahead of teams like RR, PBKS and MI who are also fighting for the 4th spot in the points table.
2. Hoping that KKR doesn't win more than 1 out of their remaining 4 fixtures:
KKR have a very good NRR and if they reach 12 points then it will practically impossible for SRH to go past the NRR of KKR. Thus, KKR remaining at 10 points will be better for SRH to qualify for IPL 2021 playoffs.
KKR remaining fixtures results should be:
vs DC, Sharjah (Match 41) - Lost
vs PBKS, Dubai (Match 45) - Win
vs SRH, Dubai (Match 49) - Lost
vs RR, Sharjah (Match 54) - Lost
Here KKR losing to DC, SRH & RR and defeating PBKS alone would ensure KKR stay at 10 points only.
3. RCB lose all their remaining games:
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be at 12 points if they lose all their remaining games in the rest of 2021 IPL season. RCB already having poor NRR and being at 12 points might help SRH have an edge over RCB in qualifying for 2021 IPL playoffs.
RCB remaining fixtures results should be:
vs RR, Dubai (Match 43) - Lost
vs PBKS, Sharjah (Match 48) - Lost
vs SRH, Abu Dhabi (Match 52) - Lost
vs DC, Dubai (Match 56) - Lost
4. Curious case of RR
Looking at the above points (2.) and (3.), RR will defeat both KKR and RCB, so they will reach 12 points after those 2 wins (from 8 points). Thus, RR should lose to CSK and MI in their remaining fixtures for SRH to be in contention very easily.
RR remaining fixtures:
vs RCB, Dubai (Match 43) - Win
vs CSK, Abu Dhabi (Match 47) - Lost
vs MI, Sharjah (Match 51) - Lost
vs KKR, Sharjah (Match 54) - Win
5. How the results should pan out for PBKS and MI in the remaining games of IPL 2021?
PBKS and MI are themselves facing each other in match number 42 at Abu Dhabi today (28th Sep). Let us have a look at schedule of these two teams to arrive at conclusion of how the results should be for these two teams.
MI remaining fixtures:
vs PBKS, Abu Dhabi (Match 42) - Win
vs DC, Sharjah (Match 46) - Lost
vs RR, Sharjah (Match 51) - Win
vs SRH, Abu Dhabi (Match 55) - Lost
As per previous point (No.4), MI has defeated RR already and they can defeat PBKS and lose to DC in Sharjah to remain at 12 points itself. Since NRR of MI is way lesser than NRR of PBKS. Thus, MI reaching those 12 points over PBKS will give SRH an edge to qualify for 2021 Playoffs.
PBKS remaining fixtures:
vs MI, Abu Dhabi (Match 42) - Lost
vs KKR, Dubai (Match 45) - Lost
vs RCB, Sharjah (Match 48) - Win
vs CSK, Dubai (Match 53) - Lost
As per point (2.) KKR defeats PBKS and according to point (2.) RCB loses all their games thus PBKS will defeat RCB alone. PBKS should lose to both CSK and MI thus they will remain in 10 points and would get eliminated.
If all these happens then points table would look like
RCB - 12 Points
MI - 12 Points
SRH - 12 Points
RR - 12 Points
KKR - 10 Points
PBKS - 10 Points
- Here in this case, teams with better NRR like KKR and PBKS gets automatically knocked out due to lack of extra 2 points.
- Now 2 from the remaining 4 teams (RCB, MI, SRH & RR) will qualify for the playoffs with just 12 points based on NRR. This gives SRH a mathematical chance if all the above results happen.
- CSK and DC with 16+ points will occupy the first two spots respectively based on CSK vs DC match result.
Note :- All these calculations are done taking only the first 40 games of IPL 2021 in account