IPL 2024 Qualification Scenarios: How can Sunrisers Hyderabad qualify for playoffs after loss against CSK in Match 46?

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. CSK posted a massive total of 212 for 3, thanks to captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's impressive 98 and Daryl Mitchell's first-ever IPL fifty. In response, Tushar Deshpande snapped four wickets as Sunrisers Hyderabad were dismissed for 134, losing the match by 78 runs. 

This victory takes CSK's tally to five wins from nine games this season. Unfortunately, Hyderabad have now lost their second consecutive game, marking their fourth defeat from nine outings. The 78-run loss has pushed CSK up the points table and they now sit in third place, while Hyderabad have slipped to fourth.

SRH can still dream of a playoff berth

In the current edition of the tournament, which features 10 teams, a team needs a minimum of 16 points to qualify for the top four in the points table. This means that Sunrisers Hyderabad will need to win at least three of their five remaining matches to reach the 16-point mark and secure a spot in the playoffs. Though they have a healthy Net Run Rate, further losses would hamper their way to the playoffs.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Chennai Super Kings' 1st Innings Highlights against SRH in Match 46

“(On would he have batted first in hindsight) Not really. We thought it was our best chance to win. They batted well to get to 210 but with thought we were in with a chance with our batting lineup, the pitch was playing well too. We’re pretty happy with how the batting lineup is going. Everyone in that lineup has performed and won us a game at some point in the tournament. It’s definitely dewy now but it was the same in the first innings as well. We’ll bounce back quickly,” said Cummins in the post-match presentation.