Can Kolkata Knight Riders qualify for playoffs after win against RR? Check KKR’s qualification scenarios

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won their previous match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) by a close margin of 1 run on Sunday (May 4). With the winning two matches on a trot, the team's hope to make it to the Playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is still alive.

Ajinkya Rahane's team has jumped to the sixth position in the points table and has three matches remaining. Here’s a detailed look at KKR's chances to reach the top four.

Kolkata Knight Riders on the IPL Points Table

KKR have won five out of the 11 matches played with one match ending in a draw. They are currently in the sixth position on the Points Table, above Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Chennai Super Kings. They have 11 points and an NRR of +0.249.

Kolkata Knight Riders' matches left in the league stage -

KKR have three matches remaining with one match scheduled to be played at their home ground, Eden Gardens.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings (Kolkata) - May 7

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Hyderabad) - May 10

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Bengaluru) - May 17

Qualification Scenarios

Looking at the current standings of the IPL 2025 points table, a team that scores 16 points can significantly increase its chances of making it to the top four, depending on the net run rate (NRR). Kolkata Knight Riders have three matches remaining, and they can bag a maximum of 17 points.

Let's look at all the scenarios:

If Kolkata Knight Riders win all the remaining games

Securing victories in all three upcoming matches would bring KKR to 17 points. This will increase their probability of making it to the Playoffs. There are six other teams including Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants who can finish the league stage with 16 points or more.

If Kolkata Knight Riders win two or fewer matches

KKR's chances will diminish significantly if they lose even a single match going forward. Because there are already teams who are well-positioned on the Points Table with 14 points and some matches remaining. They would require favourable results from the other teams for any hope of qualifying.

Role of other teams

Additionally, KKR will also hope that the current top four teams don't win more than one match each. In this way, the franchise can target for one of the last two spots in the Playoffs considering they have an increased run-rate.

Net Run Rate considerations

Looking at Kolkata Knight Riders' current condition, winning the matches is not enough. After the league stage, many teams finish with the same points. Therefore, KKR must seek huge margin wins to boost their NRR.