The first and second spot are almost fixed even before play to be commenced
DC are assured of finishing at no.1 with no ties even if they lose their last game against RCB.
CSK can be either second by themselves (if RCB lose to DC) or in a tie with RCB.
But even in a tie, their vastly superior net run rate would see them take the second spot. RCB can tie with CSK by beating DC, but that will almost certainly not be enough to make the top two.
Though four IPL teams DC RCB MI SRH will be in action at the same time but all eyes will be on one team at 19.30 IST on Friday (October 8)
The BCCI did recently confirm that for the first time ever, the final two league matches of the season will be played concurrently but ultimately, the Mumbai Indians will be hogging all the limelight.
The defending champions have been left with a mammoth and impossible task to grab that final playoff spot.
This is after Kolkata Knight Riders hammered Rajasthan Royals by 86 runs to boost their net run rate and qualification chances.
This pushed Mumbai Indians the defending champion to the corner ..
Here’s how tough it is for MI to catch up with KKR’s net run rate of +0.587
If MI were to bat first and score 220 against SRH today and then bowl SRH out for 50
Similarly, if they were to bowl out SRH for 50 and then chase it down in 3 overs.
Did this dream ever happen in field scratches his head a cricket lover ..
Backed by Powerful Corporate Realiance and being MI the most successful franchise in history, the other three teams wouldn’t ideally want to see the men in blue again in the final stages of the tournament with two of them chasing their maiden title.
In their final match SRH would still love to dearly round it off with a win.
These two teams faced off in the final league game of the season last year as well but under different circumstances.
On that night, SRH managed to beat MI to join them in the playoffs and if they manage a similar result this time, they will drag the champions alongside them out of the competition.
In Nut shell
If MI chase fourth postion is ruled out
If SRK wins fourth postion is ruled out
if MI scores 220+ and win by less than 170 run margin victory then also fourth position is ruled out ..
Having seen above chances are bright for Reliance backed Mumbai Indians to be pushed away from Emirates and made to return to India so they can watch IPL 2021 play off matches played by CSK RCB DC & KKR in Television
