IPL 2026 Playoff Race: Rajasthan, Punjab And KKR Battle For Final Spot

The playoff race in Indian Premier League 2026 has reached a thrilling stage with fans eagerly waiting to see which team will secure the final playoff berth. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have already confirmed their places in the playoffs, the battle for the fourth spot remains wide open.

After Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants on May 23, Delhi Capitals were officially knocked out of the playoff race. However, three teams — Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders — are still in contention for the remaining playoff position.

The upcoming matches are expected to decide the fate of these teams. Rajasthan Royals will face Mumbai Indians in an important afternoon clash. A victory for Rajasthan will directly send them into the playoffs without depending on any other result. If they qualify, they will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator match.

However, if Rajasthan lose to Mumbai Indians, the suspense will continue until the night game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals. A defeat for Rajasthan would eliminate them from the competition and leave Punjab Kings and KKR fighting for the last berth.

In that scenario, KKR would need a convincing win against Delhi Capitals to improve their net run rate. If Kolkata’s net run rate becomes better than Punjab’s, they will qualify for the playoffs and face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator. On the other hand, if KKR lose to Delhi, Punjab Kings will comfortably seal the final playoff spot.

Punjab Kings’ qualification chances also depend on other results. Punjab can enter the playoffs if Rajasthan Royals lose to Mumbai Indians and KKR either lose to Delhi Capitals or fail to secure a massive victory.

For KKR, the equation is very clear. Rajasthan must lose their match, and Kolkata need a dominant win against Delhi Capitals to overtake Punjab in net run rate.

Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, have the simplest path among the three teams. They only need to beat Mumbai Indians to book their place in the playoffs regardless of the result of the evening match.

Interestingly, both Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings were among the strongest teams during the first half of the tournament. Rajasthan began the season with four consecutive wins, while Punjab remained unbeaten in their first seven matches.

Despite such strong starts, both teams now find themselves depending on other match results due to poor performances in the later stages of the season.

KKR’s journey has been completely different. The team had a disappointing start and waited seven matches to register their first victory. Kolkata lost five of their first six matches, while another game ended without a result due to rain.

However, KKR made a remarkable comeback in the second half of the season. The team lost only one of their last seven matches and kept their playoff hopes alive with an impressive turnaround.

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