Five days left, six matches to go, two more slots to fill, and four teams in contention. We are at the business end of the IPL 2024 and the remainder of the tournament couldn’t have shaped any better. Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad are all in the mix; even Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants are hanging in there – albeit by a thread.
CSK, SRH, DC and RCB are currently placed 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th, respectively, of which only Bengaluru are on 12 points while the remaining have 14 each. It all boils down to the net run rate and other equations. Saturday’s clash between RCB and CSK is a virtual knockout, while SRH and DC, too, are hoping against all hopes.
Having said that, some of the former cricketers associated with Star Sports’ broadcast panel have already shortlisted their four to reach the IPL Playoffs. While two teams are guaranteed in Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, the likes of Tom Moody, Ambati Rayudu, Irfan Pathan, Matthew Hayden and Mohammad Kaif have shown their faith in CSK and SRH being the other two teams. Here’s what they all had to say:
Irfan Pathan: Kolkata, Rajasthan, Hyderabad and… Chennai Super Kings are my picks. Because I feel CSK will find some or the other way to make the Playoffs. They are a legacy team.
Ambati Rayudu: My top four predictions for now will be KKR at the top, followed by Chennai Super Kings at second. RR and SRH the other two.
Mohammad Kaif: At the top for me would be KKR. At No. 2 would be Royals. At third would be [Sunrisers] Hyderabad and at the 4th position I would bank on CSK because they know how to perform in the big matches.
Matthew Hayden: My top four, in no particular order, are… well, one has actually qualified. KKR are certainly there. I’m going to go with Rajasthan Royals. They have to beat this poor slump that they find themselves in (losing three matches in a row). Then I’ll pick Sunrisers Hyderabad since they have their matches back home and then CSK to win that derby against RCB on May 18.
Tom Moody: My top four in the Playoffs would be KKR at first place, Rajasthan Royals in the second position, Sunrisers Hyderabad at third and just falling into that fourth position, Chennai Super Kings.
In the last week of the IPL league, stage, each team has one match remaining barring the Delhi Capitals. RR play the already-eliminated Punjab Kings on Wednesday, while LSG play another exited team in Mumbai Indians. As always, the teams finishing in the top two will have one more opportunity. The winner of Qualifier 1 directly secures a place in the final, while the losing team faces the winner of the Eliminator between the third and fourth-placed teams. The winners of Qualifier 2 then joins the winner of Qualifier 1 in the summit clash on Sunday, May 26.
