IPL Playoffs Scenario: 4 Teams, 1 Spot - What CSK's Loss Means For RR, PBKS, KKR And DC

One spot, four teams. That's how the IPL 2026 playoffs race looks after Chennai Super Kings' loss to Gujarat Titans. The 89-run loss to GT on Thursday meant that CSK finished on 12 points from 14 matches. Three playoff spots are already sealed: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (18 points in 13 matches), Gujarat Titans (18 points in 14 matches), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (16 points in 13 matches). Four teams are vying for the one remaining spot: Rajasthan Royals (14), Punjab Kings (13), Kolkata Knight Riders (13), and Delhi Capitals (12). All of them need to win their last matches to advance.

However, there is a remote possibility of RR qualifying for the playoffs even with a loss in their last game (vs Mumbai Indians on Sunday), but for that to happen, they need to have a strong run-rate and hope that the other teams in contention lose their matches. DC play KKR in their final match on Sunday evening. For RR (on 14 points) to progress even with a loss in their final match, DC (on 12 points) must beat KKR (on 13 points) but with a very narrow margin.

Gujarat Titans' bankable top order laid the groundwork for a dominating 89-run win over Chennai Super Kings here on Thursday, taking them closer to a top-two qualification for the Indian Premier League play-offs.

Shubman Gill (64 off 37) and Sai Sudharsan (84 off 53) added to their remarkable consistency as an opening pair with a record seventh century partnership, fuelling Gujarat Titans to 229 for four on a true batting surface.

Jos Buttler (57 not out off 27) blasted a barrage of sixes and fours in the second half of the innings to prop up the total.

CSK, who had a slim chance of making the play-offs going into this must-win game, lost the match in the powerplay when they lost four wickets for 51 runs. The visitors were all out for 140 in 13.4 overs after a six-filled cameo from Shivam Dube (47 off 17).

For the third straight season, the five-time champions failed to make the play-offs.

Mohammed Siraj took three wickets in the first six overs, including that of Sanju Samson, who edged the very first delivery of the CSK innings. Samson fished at a wide delivery and got a faint tickle on the way to Buttler.

Titans' bowling unit has arguably been the best in the tournament, and they reinforced that with a stellar show in the first six overs. Complementing Siraj, Kagiso Rabada had Matthew Short caught at mid-on off a ball that seamed back in slightly, and the Australian could not connect properly. Titans capped off their successful stage campaign with nine wins in 14 matches, totalling 18 points. Sunrisers Hyderabad too can reach 18 points if they win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are already on 18 points, tomorrow.

The top two sides out of the four play-off teams get two shots at reaching the final, scheduled in Ahmedabad on May 31.

Earlier, Gill displayed sublime touch from ball one, toying with left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson in the powerplay.

Gill got his fifty off 23 balls while Sudharsan reached the milestone off 35 balls, his fifth consecutive half-century. Gill scored the bulk of the runs in their 125-run stand off 74 balls.

The range of boundaries Gill picked up off a wayward Johnson was a masterclass in batting. He mixed minimum muscle with trademark elegance to get the desired results.

His fours off Johnson included a cut off the Australian's very first ball before the Indian star used his crease against the left-arm pacer to collect boundaries at will. The straight drive in the same over was the most majestic of them all.

When Noor Ahmad was brought into the attack post powerplay that yielded 62 runs, Gill did not allow him to settle, slog-sweeping him for a couple of sixes.

The 100-run partnership for the seventh time was brought up soon after, surpassing the pairs of David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, and Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who have forged six century stands each in the IPL.

Both the openers were hardly troubled as Titans cruised to 111 for no loss in 10 overs.

After Gill's departure, Sudharsan and Buttler maintained the same tempo to take Titans well past 200.

Sudharsan played with minimum risk, as he often does. In the penultimate over, he picked a wide low full toss off Anshul Kamboj over point for a spectacular six.

Buttler too was in full flow and collected as many as four sixes, two coming off Noor.

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Topics mentioned in this article

Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Cricket