4 playoff spots, 6 teams in contention:What every franchise needs to qualify for knockout round of 19th edition

60 matches of IPL 2026 have been completed. On Saturday, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) to keep their playoff hopes alive. Kolkata has reached seventh position with 11 points in 12 matches. The team will have to win both remaining matches to reach the top 4 spot. Sunday will feature a doubleheader. In the first match, Bengaluru has a chance to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs by defeating Punjab. It is also necessary for Punjab to win this match. In the second match, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals will face each other. This match is crucial for both teams. Delhi is in eighth position with 10 points and Rajasthan is in fifth position with 12 points. Gujarat remains in second place despite the loss Despite losing to Kolkata, Gujarat remains in second place. The team has 16 points with 8 wins and 5 losses in 13 matches. Gujarat’s next match is against Chennai, which they must win. Bengaluru is in the top spot with 16 points and a net run rate of +1.053. The team can secure a playoff spot by defeating Punjab. Their remaining matches are against Punjab and Hyderabad. Kolkata gains one position, defeating Gujarat After the victory over Gujarat, the Kolkata Knight Riders have reached seventh position. The team has 11 points in 12 matches. KKR now has to play matches against Mumbai and Delhi. To reach the playoffs, the team will have to win both matches. They will also have to depend on the results of other teams. Hyderabad must beat Chennai on 18 May Hyderabad is in third place with 14 points in 12 matches. To reach the playoffs, the team will have to defeat Chennai on May 18 and Bangalore on May 22. Punjab needs a win at any cost Punjab Kings are in fourth place with 13 points. The team has lost five consecutive matches. Punjab has to play against Bengaluru today and against Lucknow on May 23. To keep playoff hopes alive, they will need to win both matches. Rajasthan in fifth place, struggling with 12 points Rajasthan Royals are in fifth place with 12 points from 11 matches. The team now has to play matches against Delhi, Lucknow and Mumbai. To reach the playoffs, Rajasthan will need to win all three remaining matches. CSK’s path is difficult, need to win both remaining matches Chennai Super Kings is in sixth place with 12 points. The team now has to play matches against Hyderabad and Gujarat. To stay in the playoff race, CSK will have to win both matches. They will also have to depend on the results of other teams. Every match is now like a final for Delhi Delhi Capitals is in eighth place with 10 points and has a poor net run rate (-0.993). Delhi will have to win both matches by big margins. They will also have to keep an eye on the results of other teams. If they lose to Rajasthan today, the team will be eliminated. Mumbai-Lucknow already eliminated Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are at ninth and tenth positions respectively with 8-8 points. Both teams have been eliminated from the playoff race. Tournament’s Top Players Sai Sudharsan tops Orange Cap leaderboard Gujarat’s Sai Sudharsan has become the Orange Cap holder by overtaking Hyderabad’s Henrich Klaasen. He has scored 554 runs in 13 matches. Shubhman Gill, who played an innings of 85 runs on Saturday, is in second place with 552 runs. Klaasen is in third position with 508 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar retains Purple Cap Bengaluru’s fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the Purple Cap holder in IPL 2026 with 22 wickets. Gujarat’s Kagiso Rabada is in second place with 21 wickets in 13 matches. Chennai’s Anshul Kamboj is at number three with 19 wickets.