IPL 2024: Qualification Scenarios: How can Delhi Capitals qualify for playoffs after RCB’s win over DC in match 62?

Hosts Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated visitors Delhi Capitals (DC) in a key game to win their fifth consecutive game of the IPL 2024. This win now means that Faf Du Plessis and his men are in placed fifth in the points tally just a few weeks after being at rock bottom. 

Put into bat first, RCB scored 187 runs for the loss of 9 wickets with Rajat Patidar scoring 52 runs from 32 balls. Will Jacks complimented the veteran Indian batter with a well-compiled 41 from 29 balls. Needing 188 to win, Delhi Capitals found themselves in early trouble as they were reduced to 30/4 in the fourth over.

Shai Hope and Axar Patel added 56 runs for the 5^th wicket but with the fall of the West Indian star, the hopes began to dwindle for the visiting side. Axar Patel played a lone hand as he scored 57 with the bat but that wasn’t enough as RCB won the game by 47 runs.  Yash Dayal was the best bowler with 3 wickets for 20 runs from his 3.1 overs.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru surge ahead in search of playoff spot 

The win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday meant that Royal Challengers Bengaluru now have 12 points from 13 matches. Their final game of the season is at home to Chennai Super Kings who had beaten Rajasthan Royals earlier in the day.

Delhi Capitals now have slipped down to 6^th in the table with the same tally of points as RCB from the same number of games. One of the most striking aspects is the fact that RCB’s net run rate now is in the positive (+0.387) while Delhi’s run rate is (-0.482).

The equation is simple for both teams, they need to win their final match of the season and hope for the other results to go their way. Delhi Capitals will play their final game of the season on Tuesday against the Lucknow Super Giants. KL Rahul’s side too needs to win both their games to keep their own hopes alive. 

Rishabh Pant will have to not only win the game but also make sure that they can do so with a huge margin. This alone isn’t enough as Delhi will also hope that Mumbai Indians can do them a favour by beating LSG in their final game on Friday and RCB lose to CSK on Saturday.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Points Table 

The fate of RCB may be decided by Saturday if Lucknow Super Giants win both their games. This will mean that LSG will have 16 points and would have secured a spot in the top 4. Faf Du Plessis and his side will hope that LSG lose both their matches and they beat CSK in their final match at home. 

Yet another potential curveball is the fact that Sunrisers Hyderabad also have two matches left. Even if LSG lose both their matches and RCB themselves beat CSK, they will have to hope that SRH loses both their games or loses one with a huge margin.

As the Indian Premier League 2024 hits its final week of group matches, it’s time to get out those calculators for the teams. Three teams are fighting for one spot and the proverbial chance are hanging by a wing and a prayer rings true for Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in particular.