2024 ILT20

ILT20 playoff scenarios: What actions do the teams need to take?

Following the conclusion of the 26th match in the ongoing ILT20 2024, MI Emirates stands as the only team to have officially secured a place in the playoffs.

With four more matches remaining in the round-robin stage, five teams remain in contention for the remaining three spots in the top-four playoffs.

Let’s examine the current standings and potential qualification scenarios for each team.

AFTER 26TH MATCH POINTS TABLE

TEAMS MATCHES WON LOST NR PTS NRR

MI EMIRATES (Q) 9 6 3 0 12 1.773

GULF GIANTS 9 5 4 0 10 0.414

ABU DHABI KNIGHT RIDERS 9 5 4 0 10 -0.075

SHARJAH WARRIORS 9 4 5 0 8 -1.511

DESERT VIPERS 8 3 5 0 6 -0.298

DUBAI CAPITALS 8 3 5 0 6 -0.389

MI EMIRATES

REMAINING FIXTURES

v/s DUBAI CAPITALS, ABU DHABI, 10TH FEBRUARY

Having amassed 12 points from their initial nine matches, along with an impressive net run rate of 1.773, MI Emirates have solidified their position in the playoffs, securing a top-two finish in the process.

Their upcoming fixture against the Dubai Capitals on Saturday, February 10, marks the conclusion of their round-robin stage.

Following this, they will confront either the Gulf Giants or the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in Qualifier 1, scheduled to take place in Dubai on Tuesday, February 13.

GULF GIANTS AND ABU DHABI KNIGHT RIDERS

REMAINING FIXTURES

GIANTS v/s KNIGHT RIDERS, DUBAI, 10TH FEBRUARY

The Gulf Giants currently hold the 2nd position in the table, boasting 10 points and a positive Net Run Rate (NRR) of 0.414.

This standing follows their recent triumph over table-toppers MI Emirates, with a narrow five-run victory in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the Knight Riders also possess 10 points from nine encounters, albeit with a notably lower NRR of -0.075.

In their upcoming league fixture on Saturday, the two teams will vie against each other, where the victorious side will secure a direct berth to Qualifier 1.

However, the losing team still has a chance to qualify for the Eliminator with 10 points, provided no more than two of Sharjah Warriors, Desert Vipers, or Dubai Capitals surpass them in terms of points or NRR.

It’s crucial to note that with 10 points, either the Giants or the Knight Riders could potentially face elimination, considering that two of the bottom three teams currently – Sharjah Warriors, Desert Vipers, and Dubai Capitals – also have the opportunity to reach 10 points, with NRR becoming a decisive factor.

In such a scenario, the Giants would maintain a favorable position owing to their current NRR, unless they face a substantial defeat against the Knight Riders.

In the event that the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders lose to the Gulf Giants by 40 runs (assuming the target is 200), they would remain at 10 points.

Furthermore, if the Dubai Capitals secure victories in both their remaining fixtures, reaching a total of 10 points, then the Sharjah Warriors must achieve a score of 240 runs and dismiss the Desert Vipers for 46 runs in their final match to surpass the Knight Riders’ NRR.

Additionally, if the Dubai Capitals win both of their matches with a combined margin exceeding 10 runs, they would surpass the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ run rates.

SHARJAH WARRIORS

REMAINING FIXTURES

v/s DESERT VIPERS, SHARJAH, 11TH FEBRUARY

Following a dominant seven-wicket victory over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, the Sharjah Warriors currently hold the fourth position in the table with eight points from nine games.

However, their Net Run Rate (NRR) stands at a disappointing -1.511.

For the Sharjah Warriors, the optimal scenario entails triumphing over the Desert Vipers in their final league encounter, while also relying on the Dubai Capitals to lose at least one of their remaining two matches.

Should the Dubai Capitals emerge victorious in both of their remaining fixtures, reaching a total of 10 points, the Warriors would require a significantly high margin of victory in their last league game to surpass them on NRR.

To illustrate, if the Dubai Capitals successfully chase down 181 runs off the final ball in each of their next two matches, the Warriors would need to defeat the Vipers by approximately 190 runs to surpass them on NRR.

DESERT VIPERS

REMAINING FIXTURES

v/s DUBAI CAPITALS, DUBAI, 9TH FEBRUARY

v/s SHARJAH WARRIORS, SHARJAH, 11TH FEBRUARY

The Desert Vipers, last year’s finalists, currently hold six points from their initial eight matches, with a recent defeat against MI Emirates pushing them to the fifth position.

To secure a playoff berth, DV’s straightforward path involves winning both of their remaining matches, thus limiting the Dubai Capitals and the Sharjah Warriors to eight points each.

However, if the Vipers suffer a loss against the Capitals on Friday, they would require MI Emirates to defeat the Capitals in the penultimate round-robin fixture, followed by a victory against the Warriors in their last game, allowing them to qualify based on Net Run Rate (NRR) with eight points.

Currently, the Vipers maintain a superior NRR compared to both the Warriors and Capitals.

In the event of a three-way tie at 8 points, the Warriors face elimination due to their poor NRR in comparison to DV and DC.

However, if the Capitals were to win by 30 runs and then lose by 30 runs against the Vipers and MI Emirates respectively (assuming a target of 180 runs), then for the Vipers to surpass the Capitals’ NRR, they would need to defeat the Sharjah Warriors by 17 runs in their last fixture (assuming the Vipers score 180 in the first innings).

DUBAI CAPITALS

REMAINING FIXTURES

v/s DESERT VIPERS, DUBAI, 9TH FEBRUARY

v/s MI EMIRATES, ABU DHABI, 10TH FEBRUARY

The Dubai Capitals find themselves in a similar position as the Desert Vipers, both sharing the same points tally after five losses from their first eight matches, along with a negative Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.389, placing them at the bottom of the points table.

Despite their current standing, the Capitals hold their destiny in their own hands.

Securing two consecutive victories would almost guarantee them a playoff berth, even if the Sharjah Warriors match their points tally by defeating the Vipers in their last game, given the difference in NRR (as discussed earlier).

They can advance if they triumph over the Desert Vipers and suffer defeat against MI Emirates, provided the Vipers emerge victorious against the Warriors on Sunday, resulting in a three-way tie on NRR.

In the scenario where the Capitals defeat the Vipers by 30 runs today, and subsequently lose to MI Emirates by 30 runs (assuming DC scores 180 and 150 runs respectively), for the Capitals to qualify for the playoffs in the event of an 8-point tie between DC and DV, they would need to rely on the Vipers defeating the Warriors by no more than 16 runs in their last league game (assuming the Vipers score 180 runs).