IPL 2026 Playoff Race: How Can RCB Drop Out Of Top 2 On Points Table?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru - (Source: AP)

On Friday, May 22, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last group-stage match of IPL 2026. It is a much-anticipated clash between the two teams placed in the top half of the table.

Notably, RCB and SRH have both qualified for the playoffs, but the spots for the 1st qualifier are still wide open. The defending champions are 1st on the table with 18 points, while SRH are 3rd with 16 points.

RCB, GT, SRH In A Race To Finish In Top 2

Besides RCB and SRH, Gujarat Titans are also in a three-legged race to finish in the top 2. The Shubman Gill-led side are placed 2nd on the table with 18 points and a net run-rate of +0.695.

At present, all three teams are in the race to finish in the top 2 and at the same time, any team can fall out of the top-2 race, even RCB, who are comfortably sitting at No.1 spot on the table.

Also Read: When Shubman Gill Dropped The 'F-Bomb' On MS Dhoni's CSK

Therefore, this article will shed light on how RCB can still fall out of the race to end up in the top 2 of the IPL 2026 points table.

How Can RCB Drop Out of IPL 2026 Top-2 Race?

For RCB, they have 18 points and a net run-rate of +0.695. Notably, the Rajat Patidar-led side can only fall out of the top-2 if Sunrisers Hyderabad beat them and that too by a good margin. So, the first and foremost thing for RCB to ensure is that they win their match against the Men in Orange.

In case SRH win, they need to have a greater margin of win to go on top of the table and disrupt RCB’s net run-rate to a level that they fall at 3rd on the table.

Scenario 1

Notably, RCB need to make sure that if they are batting first, then they do not let SRH chase a target in 11 overs or less.

In case SRH manage to do so, then the defending champions will have a net run-rate less than +0.695, which means that GT remains at 2, SRH moves to 1 and RCB drop to 3rd on the points table.

Hence, RCB need to make sure that even if they lose, then SRH should chase the target in 12 overs or higher, so that the IPL 2025 winners stay at No.1, while either GT or SRH finish 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Scenario 2

If RCB are batting second, then they need to make sure not to lose the match by 89 runs or higher. If so, then they crash at 3rd on the points table and GT finish 2, while SRH climb to 1st.

Hence, RCB need to make sure that the defeat is less than 89 runs. For example, if SRH win by 40 runs, then there is a chance that the Men in Orange might topple Gujarat Titans to go 2nd on the table, but RCB will stay at No.1 and play the IPL 2026 qualifier 1 in Dharamshala.

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