IPL 2024 Playoff: Can CSK still qualify after 35 run loss against Gujarat Titans? Here's what they must do

Chennai Super Kings suffered a 35-run defeat at the hands of Gujarat Titans on Friday which dealt a huge blow to their chances of making the playoffs. With two games left in the tournament for CSK, the big question on everyone's minds is whether the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side can still make it to the playoffs in this year's IPL.

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CSK's road to playoffs: 

Chennai Super Kings currently sit 4th on the IPL 2024 points table after winning 6 of their 12 matches so far and posting a healthy net run rate of 0.491. Despite their 35-run thrashing of GT on Friday, CSK still have a clear path to the play-off stage if they win their next two matches against Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

However, Ruturaj Gaikwad's side will have little time to recover as they face RR in their next match on Sunday. If CSK lose even one of their next two matches, they'll have to hope that Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants (all on 12 points) lose their remaining matches to prevent them from reaching 16 points. Given their impressive net run rate, CSK could still qualify with 14 points.

Notably, teams with 14 points, or even 12 points in some cases, used to qualify for the playoffs until 2022, before two new teams were added in the form of Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. Since then, however, the competition for the top four spots has intensified and teams now typically need 18 points to secure a playoff spot, while those with 16 points need to rely on their net run rate to qualify. While teams with 14 points still have a mathematical chance of making the play-offs, in reality it remains an uphill task.