Though Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) chances of qualifying for the playoff in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) is slim, they have still kept their hopes alive after their four-wicket win over Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
Following their fourth victory in 11 matches, they have been elevated from bottom to seventh spot in the points table. The team has also boosted their net run rate after they romped home with 38 deliveries to spare.
Rajasthan Royals (16 points) and Kolkata Knight Riders (14) have almost sealed their berths in the playoff. Meanwhile, more than five teams are fighting for the final two playoffs berths.
Though studded with stars like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green, RCB had a dismal first half with just one win from their first seven games. However, three wins in a row off late have given some hope to the fans for their playoff chances.
Let's have a look at the equation on how RCB could still make it to the playoff...
RCB have three matches left - against Punjab Kings (May 9), Delhi Capitals (May 12) and Chennai Super Kings (May 18). They need to win them all to give themselves a chance for the playoffs. However, just win in the final three games won’t help RCB.
If they manage to win all their matches with huge margins, it will take them to maximum 14 points and also boost their net run rate. Moreover, they have to pray that both Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) do not get more than one win in their final four games.
RCB also need Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Capitals (DC) to lose points in their remaining games. Both CSK and DC are on 10 points each and should not win more than two games. Along with RCB, Gujarat Titans (GT) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are also on eight points and they should not win more than three games to help RCB's cause.