IPL 2019: Which teams are the most likely to take the remaining two playoff spots?

As the 12th edition of the IPL enters into the business end of the tournament, the race to playoffs has picked up the stream with only the Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have confirmed their berth in the top 4.

Royal Challengers Bangalore are the only side that we can say are all but out of the race but they still have a mathematically possible yet improbable chance for a shot at playoffs.

Teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab have only themselves to blame for their current predicament and will have to win their remaining games as well as expect the other results to go their way.

On the other hand, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians have been consistent enough throughout the tournament despite hiccups in the middle phase of the IPL. So, they find themselves in a relatively strong position and have their fate in own hands.

We will analyze which two sides are the best placed make it to the playoffs.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore - Highly Unlikely

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Royal Challengers Bangalore are all but out of the tournament even if they win the last two league games against Rajasthan Royals which is currently underway, and also the one where they are hosting the SRH in their last game of the season.

The Virat Kohli led side made a comeback of sorts after losing 6 games on the trot by winning 4 of their next six, but that does not seem to be enough.

The only remote possibility of them qualifying is if they beat both RR and SRH, MI beat SRH and both KKR and KXIP not win more than one match.

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Rajasthan Royals - Unlikely

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Like the Royal Challengers Bangalore, RR had a poor start to the tournament. They had to change the captain for things to turn around for them.

Also, they have been affected by the fact that their foriegn players have gone for national duty and this might hinder their chances.

Wiith 10 points from 12 games, their chances are much brighter than RCB's if they win their two games - one against RCB and Delhi but poor net run rate of -0.32 might come back to haunt them.

Kings XI Punjab - Unlikely

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With 10 points from 12 games, the situation of the Kings XI is as same as Rajasthan Royals. They have not won the moments right through this IPL and they will find it difficult to march into the playoffs especially after their huge loss at the hands of SRH.

They have a do or die match against KKR which will be a direct eliminator of sorts and another against CSK which will also be a must win for the Ashwin led team.

Expect them to ftght, but it will take a miracle to see them in the playoffs.

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Kolkata Knight Riders - Likely

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The fact that that the Knight Riders has a chance to reach the playoffs despite having the same points as the KXIP and RR, is that they have a better run rate than them and the teams they face in the due course.

Both of their matches, one against Mumbai and the other with KXIP will be a direct shoot out and they can hope not only to win their matches but also MI losing both of theirs.

SunRisers Hyderabad - Most Likely

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Unlike the teams at the bottom, SRH have a cushion of one more win and sitting at the 4th spot on the points table with 12 points in as many matches.

They will face Mumbai Indians next in a must-win game for both sides to confirm a spot, followed by an encounter against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. They are in a strong position to grab that playoff spot but they shouldn't be complacent.

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Mumbai Indians - Most Likely

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The Rohit Sharma led MI side has been easily the most consistent side after CSK and DC so far in this IPL with 14 points in 12 games. Only an Andre Russell special in their last game denied them a victory, and they will look to seek to retribution when the same sides meet again in the last league game.

But their game with SRH will be the one to watch as it may decide the fate of both teams.

Teams that will most likely reach the playoffs - 2 out of SRH, MI and KKR.