IPL 2019 Playoffs: Who Has The Best Chance Amongst CSK, DC, and MI To Play Qualifier 1?

Mumbai Indians became the third team to qualify for the IPL 2019 playoffs on Thursday after defeating SRH in a thrilling super over match. With this victory, MI jumped to the second position at the IPL table. While DC and CSK already qualified for the playoffs, MI joins them to book a place in the last four.

While four teams are fighting for the final place at the playoffs, the three teams at the top are contending for a place in the IPL 2019 Qualifier 1. CSK is standing at the top with 18 points. While MI and DC stand at the 2nd and 3rd position respectively with 16 points each. But MI has a higher net run rate than DC giving them a higher position at the IPL 2019 points table. MI has an NRR of +0.321 compared to DC’s -0.096.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings was the first team to qualify for the playoffs. They will finish at the top position if they win their last match against Kings XI Punjab with 20 points on the IPL table.

CSK is most likely to finish at the top two positions looking at their current form and their positive NRR. But if they lose their match and MI and DC win their final games then the NRR will come into action. CSK has a much better NRR than DC which gives them the advantage to finish at the top.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians standing at the second position has an advantage of a good positive NRR. If MI wins their last match against KKR, they are most likely to finish at the top two as MI has the best NRR among the top three teams. However, if they lose their match, they can still end up at the top two provided DC lose their last match against RR.

Delhi Capitals have the worst NRR among the top three teams in IPL 2019. They can finish at the top two and play the qualifier 1 only if they win their final game against RR and MI lose with a significant magnitude against KKR.

Only time will tell which team will play the IPL 2019 qualifier 1 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Chennai.