IPL 2020 playoffs: All you need to know
The Sunrisers Hyderabad, on Tuesday, handed Mumbai Indians a ten-wicket defeat in the final game of group stage, thereby becoming the fourth team to qualify for the playoffs. Earlier, the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers had booked their spot in the knockout round. Notably, Qualifier 1 between MI and DC on November 5 will mark the beginning of IPL 2020 playoffs. Here is more.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi to host the knockout games
While the Dubai International Stadium is scheduled to host the two Qualifiers and final, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi will play host to the Eliminator between SRH and RCB. All the matches will begin at 7:30 PM IST.
Here is the full schedule
Qualifier 1: MI vs DC, Dubai, November 5 (7:30 PM IST). Eliminator: SRH vs RCB, Abu Dhabi, November 6 (7:30 PM IST). Qualifier 2: Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1, Abu Dhabi, November 8 (7:30 PM IST). Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2, Dubai, November 10 (7:30 PM IST).
MI and DC to lock horns in the Qualifier 1
Just like the previous season, Mumbai Indians have emerged as the strongest side this time. They would take on the Delhi Capitals, who want to end their quest of a maiden IPL title. Notably, MI have beaten the DC in both the group stage encounters, this time around. It remains to be seen if the Capitals proceed to their first-ever IPL final.
RCB and SRH to square-off in the Eliminator
A day after the first Qualifier, SRH will square-off with RCB in the Eliminator. The losing team will be eliminated from the tournament, while the winners will face losers of Qualifier 1. It is interesting to note that both SRH and RCB won a game against each other, this season. However, SRH are the favorites for the contest, having won their previous three games.
What will happen next?
As mentioned, the second Qualifier will see the losers of Qualifier 1 and winners of Eliminator locking horns. Meanwhile, the team which wins the Qualifier 2 will face the winners of Qualifier 1 in the grand finale.
A look at how the league stage panned out
After the completion of league stage, Mumbai Indians topped the standings with 18 points. The Delhi Capitals stood second (16 points), while Sunrisers Hyderabad (14 points) climbed to the third spot after beating MI by a fair margin. Interestingly, the Royal Challengers Bangalore finished on number four, losing their last four games. That apart, KKR, KXIP, CSK and RR (in order) failed to qualify.
