IPL 2019: COC Predicted final four teams for the playoffs

The league stage ends on May 5, 2019.

The Indian Premier League season 12 is drawing close to its most exciting phase as the league stage are coming to an end. With only a handful of matches remaining, Chennai Super Kings are the only team who is closest to qualifying for the playoffs with 16 points to their name.

The remaining seven teams are in with an outside chance to make it to the top four. Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, who are at 7 and 8 spots on the points table respectively, also have chances to make it to playoffs given some permutations and combinations.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab have themselves to blame as they have been on a losing streak of late, squandering their good starts and now scampering for a win here and there.

Keeping every mathematical and hypothetical scenario in mind, Team COC makes a prediction as to which four teams will make it to the top four with final standings in the points table.

4^th place- SUNRISERS HYDERABAD (SRH)
At the moment, the Sunrisers Hyderabad are placed at the no.4 position on the points table with 5 wins and 5 losses in 10 games. They have four games left against Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Out of these four games, only one is a home game for them, against KXIP. Also, Jonny Bairstow has already returned to England and Warner will return to Australia as well, but after the match against KXIP, meaning that SRH has two games where they should target victories with Warner still available for them and gain important 4 points to move upto 14 points.

SRH have the best net run rate amongst the seven teams and with 14 points, they might make it into the finals four, even if they lose the remaining matches, in a worst-case scenario.

3^rd place – DELHI CAPITALS (DC)
For the first time since 2012, Delhi Capitals topped the points table, albeit briefly and have repaid the faith their fans have in them for so long. A change in name and captain finally bought good results for the Delhi cased franchise and it might be their year too.

Combination of the two of the greatest cricketing minds in Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly behind the scenes may have mentored a young DC team into the playoffs of IPL 2019.  DC has 7 wins from 11 matches and are on 14 points and sit at 3^rd place in the points table. Their remaining matches are against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals; with them playing RCB and RR at home, where they do not have a good record in this IPL.

DC just need a win or two from their remaining games to make it into the playoffs with 16 points and NRR in positive.  

2^nd place- CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (CSK)
Chennai Super Kings have nearly made it into the playoffs by the virtue of having 16 points from 8 wins from 12 matches. The MS Dhoni-led yellow brigade has lost three of their last four matches and MS Dhoni has missed two of those due to back spasm and illness.

CSK next play Delhi Capitals at home and Kings XI Punjab in Mohali, and a win in any of the matches will confirm a top-two finish for them and two chances to make it into the finals of the IPL 2019 and defend their title.

1^st place – MUMBAI INDIANS (MI)
Mumbai Indians, despite an indifferent form, have maintained surreal run in this IPL 2019 to be at the second spot at the moment in the points table with 7 wins from 11 matches. What works for them going forward is that they have two matches against down on luck Kolkata Knight Riders and one against SRH at home.

If they win two of these three matches, they end up with 18 points and possibly above Chennai Super Kings, given that they have beaten the defending champions twice in the tournament now. The Rohit Sharma led side has the best chance to finish on the no.1 spot thanks to their recently gained good form.