WPL playoff scenarios: DC qualify; race wide open for other two spots

WPL playoff scenarios: DC qualify; race wide open for other two spots

Delhi Capitals Women have officially booked a place in the playoffs.

Here's a look at the current standings:

Delhi Capitals Women

• With ten points in 7 matches, Delhi have ensured they can finish in the top three for playoffs for the third consecutive season.
• They still need to top the table at the end of the group stage to be book a direct place in the final.
• To do this, they need to win their last remaining game against the Gujarat Giants and hope for the Mumbai Indians to drop at least one game.
• They still booked a place in the final with 10 points, even if they lost their next game, only if the Indian and one of GG or UPW lost their one game or state below the Capitals' NRR.

Mumbai Indians Women

• The inaugural champion MI have three matches left and is in the best position to qualify for knockouts.
• Winning two more matches from their remaining games will almost guarantee them a top-three finish.
• Mumbai Indians are best positioned to qualify for the final directly if they win all their remaining games and stay above Capitals(if they win the last game) in the net run rate.
• With eight points, they also can qualify if they stay above RCB and one of GG or UPW in the NRR.
• They still have two matches to be played at their home venue in Mumbai and have an advantage with knowing the exact scenario as they are playing last to games of the league stage this year.

UP Warriorz Women

• UP Warriorz Women are placed third in the points table but have the same points as RCB and the Gujarat Giants.
• They are going to play all their three remaining games at their home venue in Lucknow.
• Their next match against the Gujarat Giants will be a do-or-die game as they can't afford to lose any more games.
• If they win all three games, then they will qualify for playoffs and winning at least two of their last three matches will still give them a playoff spot if they get a win against GG and RCB and hope the Giants drop one more game against DC or MI.
• Two more losses in the coming matches will see the Warriorz eliminated.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

• The defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered a massive setback in their title defence following their winless run at their home venue of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where they had four straight defeats (one in Super over) after losing tosses in all four games.
• After winning their opening two matches in Vadodara, RCB have lost four matches in a row and dropped from the top of the standings to the fourth spot now.
• The RCB are still mathematically alive in the competition for the playoff race.
• For RCB to qualify, they need to win their remaining two league stage games to get 8 points, which may still not be enough for a top-three spot, as the other three teams could end up tied on points, bringing the net run rate into play and as for now, RCB has the second-worst NRR.
• One win out of their last two games will mean RCB can only finish with 6 points in the table, which makes it extremely difficult for them to qualify for the top three finish.
• If two of the UPW, MI and GG get past 8 points, then RCB will be eliminated from the competition.

Gujarat Giants

• The Gujarat Giants are currently placed last in the points table with four points in five games so far with a poor net run rate (-0.450), which makes qualification difficult for them.
• But they are still in the race as they have the same points as RCB and UPW.
• They still have three games to play with, If they win all three games, then they will qualify for playoffs and winning at least two of their last three matches will still give them a playoff spot if they get a win against UPW and MI and hope the Warriorz drop one more game against MI or RCB.
• If they lost two more matches, they would be knocked out from the playoff race.