One spot left. Three teams desperate for it
Published Date – 23 May 2026, 07:10 PM
By Neelima
Hyderabad: Rajasthan Royals have done the hard part. Seven wins from thirteen games, 14 points on the board, and a positive NRR of +0.083 — they are agonisingly close to the playoffs. Their fate gets decided on Sunday when they face Mumbai Indians at Wankhede. A win and they are through, no questions asked, no calculators needed. But a loss keeps them at 14 points and suddenly drags them right back into a three-way battle where nothing is guaranteed.
Punjab Kings are the most complicated story of this IPL season. Nobody quite saw this coming — six wins from their opening seven games had them looking like a team built for the long run. Then, almost without warning, they lost six straight. The confidence drained, the momentum died, and fans who were dreaming of a title a month ago were suddenly just hoping for a top-four finish. Tonight against Lucknow at Ekana is their moment of truth. A win gets them to 15 points and keeps their fate in their own hands heading into the final day.
Kolkata Knight Riders are sitting in the most uncomfortable chair in the points table. Same 13 points as Punjab Kings, but their NRR of +0.011 is nowhere close to PBKS’s +0.227. That difference is not just a number — it is the difference between going home and playing knockout cricket. KKR face Delhi Capitals on Sunday at Eden Gardens, their fortress, in front of their own crowd. Winning is not optional. They need to bat big, bowl tight, and dominate from the first ball — because at the end of it all, KKR must win with a good run rate to prove it to their fans.
Here is where it gets genuinely interesting. If PBKS win tonight and KKR win big on Sunday, both could finish on 15 points. But if RR win against Mumbai, they march straight into the playoffs with 16 points — no calculations, no NRR debates, no looking over their shoulder at Punjab or Kolkata. However, if RR stumble, the PBKS already at 15 after a potential win tonight, would lead. KKR on the other hand cannot just win on Sunday — they must win with a run rate that actually closes the massive NRR gap between +0.011 and Punjab’s +0.227. A routine chase or a narrow victory will simply not suffice. Kolkata need to bat deep and bowl hard, a margin that makes the numbers work in their favour.
This is what the final weekend of IPL group stage cricket looks like at its most unforgiving — three teams chasing one spot.
