IPL 2024 playoffs: All you need to know
The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) league stage has officially ended. Incessant rain spoiled the final league-stage fixture between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Therefore, Sunrisers Hyderabad and RR finished second and third, respectively. Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier beat Chennai Super Kings to go through, at fourth. Kolkata Knight Riders were the first side to reach playoffs.
IPL 2024: Final standings
KKR topped the IPL 2024 points table with 20 points. They had a Net Run Rate of +1.428. SRH, who beat Punjab Kings earlier in the day, finished second with 17 points (NRR: +0.414). RR lost four of their last five league matches (one abandoned) to finish third (NRR: +0.273). Fourth-placed RCB made a miraculous comeback with NRR of +0.459.
A look at the IPL playoff format
The top-four teams qualify for the playoffs. The winner of Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2) proceeds to the final. Meanwhile, the loser plays the winner of the Eliminator (Team 3 vs Team 4) in Qualifier 2. The winner of Qualifier 2 (Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1) marches into the final (Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2).
IPL 2024 playoff schedule
Qualifier 1 will be played between KKR and SRH on May 21 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, RR will take on RCB in the Eliminator at the same venue a day later. The iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will host Qualifier 2 on May 24 (Friday). The final will also be played at the same venue on May 26.
Another title loading for KKR?
It is worth noting that KKR finished in the top two only twice ahead of IPL 2024. They went on to win the title on both occasions. KKR won IPL 2012 and 2014 under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.
RCB knocked out CSK
RCB sealed the playoff berth after beating CSK at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. RCB, who registered their sixth straight win, needed to beat CSK by a margin of 18 runs to pip the latter on NRR. Faf du Plessis' side got the job done as CSK scored 191/7 while chasing 219. In an anti-climax, the Super Kings were eliminated.
No CSK, MI in IPL playoffs
This is only the second instance of neither CSK nor Mumbai Indians featuring in the playoffs of an IPL season. Although the two franchises did not take part in the 2016 IPL playoffs, CSK were suspended at that time (spot-fixing ban). Notably, MI finished 10th with just four wins in 14 games. Both MI and CSK have won five IPL titles.
