KKR vs DC: What Kolkata Knight Riders needs to finish top 4 and qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Kolkata Knight Riders face Delhi Capitals on Sunday evening in a must-win final league match.
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KKR came back strongly after a nightmare start to their campaign.
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A KKR win plus two other specific results could seal playoff qualification.
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Kolkata Knight Riders will have their final opportunity to rescue their campaign when they host Delhi Capitals on Sunday evening at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
DC have been eliminated after PBKS beat LSG on Saturday and reached 15 points and thus they would play for pride and aim to end the season on a high.
KKR, on the other hand, could equal PBKS’ tally of 15 points with a win in their final league game on Sunday at home and as a result it is a high-stakes game for the three-time champions.
MORE: LSG vs PBKS Dream11: Lineups, pitch report and score predictions
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Under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, the Kolkata-based have staged an epic comeback this season after going winless in their first seven matches and collecting only one point.
Kolkata currently sit on 13 points. A win over DC on Sunday would take them to 15, putting them firmly in the frame and tied on points with PBKS.
Whether those 15 points are enough depends almost entirely on what happens in other games.
The most critical match for KKR’s fate is the clash between the Rajasthan Royals and the Mumbai Indians earlier in the day. RR is sitting on 14 points. If they beat MI, they jump to 16 and book their playoff place outright, leaving no room for KKR regardless of what else happens.
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MORE: PBKS IPL 2026 playoff chances: Qualification scenarios, wins and points required
However, if Mumbai Indians manage to beat Rajasthan Royals, the door swings open for KKR and Punjab. They would then need to watch PBKS’ net run rate and accordingly approach their final league game.
|
Pos |
Team |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
NR |
Nrr |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Q) |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
+0.783 |
18 |
|
2 |
Gujarat Titans (Q) |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
+0.695 |
18 |
|
3 |
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Q) |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
+0.524 |
18 |
|
4 |
Punjab Kings |
14 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
+0.309 |
15 |
|
5 |
Rajasthan Royals |
13 |
7 |
6 |
0 |
+0.083 |
14 |
|
6 |
Kolkata Knight Riders |
13 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
+0.011 |
13 |
|
7 |
Chennai Super Kings |
14 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
-0.345 |
12 |
|
8 |
Delhi Capitals (E) |
13 |
6 |
7 |
0 |
-0.871 |
12 |
|
9 |
Mumbai Indians (E) |
13 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
-0.510 |
8 |
|
10 |
Lucknow Super Giants (E) |
14 |
4 |
10 |
0 |
-0.740 |
8 |
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