From staring at a third straight defeat in the face, Royal Challengers Bengaluru held their nerve in a last-over thriller against Mumbai Indians to climb to the top of the IPL 2026 points table on Sunday. Chasing 15 runs in the final over, RCB pulled off a dramatic two-wicket win to not only end their mini-slump but also officially knock Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants out of the playoffs race.
With the league stage entering its final stretch, eight teams still remain mathematically alive in the battle for the top four spots.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Defending champions RCB currently sit at the top of the table with 14 points from 11 matches and an impressive Net Run Rate of +1.103. Led by Rajat Patidar, Bengaluru are one win away from virtually sealing qualification. However, they will target victories in all their remaining games to secure a top-two finish and a direct route to Qualifier 1.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad are level with RCB on 14 points but trail on NRR (+0.737). Their equation is simple — win two of their remaining three matches and qualification should be secured. Their clash against RCB on May 22 could prove decisive in the race for a top-two finish.
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans are also on 14 points but have a comparatively lower NRR of +0.228. They likely need at least two more wins to stay safe. Their upcoming encounter against SRH could have a major impact on the playoff standings.
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings arguably hold the strongest position among the chasing pack. With 13 points from just 10 matches, they still have four league games left. Two wins from those fixtures would take them to 17 points, a tally that historically guarantees playoff qualification.
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings remain in a tricky situation. The five-time champions need at least two wins from their final three games to reach the 16-point mark. However, with a modest NRR of +0.185, even 16 points may not fully guarantee qualification. Ideally, CSK would prefer to win all remaining matches.
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals are level with CSK on 12 points but possess an even weaker NRR of +0.082 after three defeats in their last four matches. Like Chennai, they need a minimum of two more wins and are likely to battle directly with CSK for the final playoff spot.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders remain mathematically alive but face a difficult route. They must win all four of their remaining matches to reach 17 points. Any further slip-up would leave them dependent on several other results.
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals are still technically in contention but are hanging by a thread. They need to win all remaining matches to reach 14 points while also significantly improving their poor NRR of -1.154. Their qualification hopes now depend heavily on other teams dropping points.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants have officially been eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoff race following RCB’s dramatic victory in Raipur.
