Sunrisers Hyderabad had their campaign hanging in the balance after a timely win against the Chennai Super Kings. However, the result did push the Chennai Super Kings to the brink as the five-time champions’ torrid campaign continued with the Men in Yellow already losing seven out of nine games.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) might have earned their most crucial two points in the last couple of seasons as they continue to fight it out to stay alive in the ongoing edition of the IPL. It hasn’t been the campaign the Sunrisers would have wished as a follow-up to the exceptional season they had as the quality and the feature that made the Orange Army the most fearsome outfit of the competition last year, came back to bite them in the back really hard but all is not lost, as of yet as the visitors notched up a timely win against the Chennai Super Kings, breaching the Chepauk fortress for the first time in the history.
The win meant that the Sunrisers Hyderabad now have six points in their kitty in nine games. Hence, SRH can’t afford a single defeat anymore and their fearless approach actually could do them a favour when they basically can’t let the points slip. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) qualified with 14 points in the last season, but that was an anomaly, especially in a 10-team tournament.
In the ongoing edition, six teams are currently in the fray to qualify, realistically with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Sunrisers having an outside chance. 16 points might be a minimum requirement this season since three teams have already reached the 12-point mark and Punjab Kings might be the fourth if they beat KKR on Saturday at the Eden Gardens.
So, for SRH, the equation is simple – win all of their remaining five games and a couple of them possibly with a big margin and hope that it works out in the end.
Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals are firm favourites to qualify for the playoffs with 12 points in their name and six games left for each of the two. That win against the Rajasthan Royals a couple of days ago was crucial for RCB as it took them to 12 points, and also, it was the first one for them at home. So they look a bit safe too.
It is the Mumbai Indians, whose late charge has disrupted the table in the upper half. With four wins in a row, the Mumbai Indians have the same number of points as the Lucknow Super Giants (10) in nine matches and the Sunday clash between the two teams might actually be a four-pointer since both teams are in the fray to make it through.
Hence, GT, DC, RCB, Punjab Kings, LSG and the Mumbai Indians are currently in the fray.
So, where does it leave RR and CSK?
The finalists of the inaugural edition of the IPL, the Rajasthan Royals and the Super Kings, have lost seven matches already, and even if they win the remainder of their games, they can only get to 14 points. So for these two sides, it is a case more of hope rather than anything else as if SRH win their remaining games, they can at least get to 16 and might have a realistic chance of qualifying. For RR and CSK to do so, a lot of things have to go their way, apart from just them getting those 10 points. So yeah, it looks tough.