Before finding out the answer to “how many points to qualify in the IPL?”, imagine this gripping scenario.
The final league match of the IPL season is going on. The crowd in the stadium is tense and energetic at the same time.
Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are playing against each other with their eyes on the playoff spot. It is a neck-to-neck competition, with both teams sitting at 14 points each. Only one of them can make it to the playoffs!
If MI wins, they’ll jump to 16 points, securing their spot. But if CSK wins, they’ll not only beat MI with 16 points but also bump the team out on Net Run Rate!
CSK needs 6 runs from the last ball. Seems like a difficult feat. Maybe luck will play in.
The bowler takes the crease and makes a throw, the batsman swings powerfully, and… it’s a massive six! The crowd erupts in cheers!
A Commentator announces with excitement “Unbelievable! CSK has done it again! They won the match, and with those two points, they knocked Mumbai out of the playoffs!
Another commentator says “It’s a heartbreak for Mumbai! They had the points and the Net Run Rate, but in the end, CSK stole the show and won.”
Mumbai Indians watch their playoff dreams shatter in a single moment. That’s the beauty and the cruelty of the IPL points system! Every match, every run and every point matters.
Points System in IPL
The IPL (Indian Premier League) points system is pretty simple and straightforward. It is designed to make the league exciting, fair and gripping. Here’s how it works in layman’s terms:
Winning a Match: If a team wins a match, they get 2 points.
Losing a Match: If a team loses a match, they don’t get any points.
Tie or No Result: If a match ends in a tie (which is rare because there’s usually a Super Over to break it) or if it gets washed out due to rain, both teams get 1 point each.
The number of points required to reach the playoffs varies from season to season. Out of 74 total matches, each team plays 14 matches during the league stage. This means that the maximum number of points a team can earn is 28.
How Many Points to Qualify in the IPL?
While no fixed number of points guarantees qualification for a team, IPL match history demonstrates that 16 points is often enough to secure a place in the playoffs. Let us dive into some details of the IPL points system
16 Points
16 points means a team has secured a total of 8 wins in the season. This number is magical when it comes to the IPL points system.
Teams that reach this benchmark typically find themselves in the top four. However, a lot depends on the NRR (net run rate) which becomes a crucial parameter. This method is especially important for selection if multiple teams finish with the same number of points.
14 Points
This means that the team has won 7 matches, which is only half the total number of matches they played.
Teams that finish with 14 points often find themselves in a tight spot for the fourth position in the playoffs.
This implies that their qualification is possible but not guaranteed, as it will largely depend on the performance of other teams and their NRR.
12 Points
12 points mean that a team has only won 6 out of 14 matches, which is less than half the total number of matches they played.
While it rarely happens, there have been instances where teams with 12 points have made it to the playoffs due to a high NRR or favourable results in other matches.
What is the ‘Net Run Rate’ (NRR)?
The Net Run Rate is a statistical method used to analyze the performance of teams or players in matches and overall tournaments. It can be a deciding factor when teams are tied on points.
The NRR of a team in a match is calculated based on the difference between the rate at which the team scores runs and the rate at which it forfeits them in another innings.
Basically, it’s the run rate of that team in a match, minus the run rate of the competing team.
A higher run rate can help a team with the same number of points as another to qualify for the playoffs.
Dynamic Points In IPL
The IPL is a competitive tournament. Hence, the points for qualification are dynamic and may vary every season depending on the level of performance.
In some seasons, 14 points might be enough due to a close contest among teams. In other seasons, 16 points might still leave teams on the brink due to intense competition and phenomenal gameplay.
For instance, in IPL 2020 in a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knightriders, 14 points were enough for SH to qualify, while KKR missed out despite having the same points due to a lower Net Run Rate.
In the league’s 15th season in 2022, the Royal Challengers Bangalore qualified with 16 points, but their qualification wasn’t very concrete as multiple teams had similar win rates.
IPL Points system summarized:
At the end of the league, all ten teams are ranked based on the points they’ve earned in all the matches. If two or more teams have the same points, the Net Run Rate (NRR) comes into play.
In simple words, they look at how well a team has performed overall, not just in terms of the wins they have secured but also in terms of how convincingly they won or lost.
So, in short, teams that win get points, teams that lose, get nothing, and if it’s a tie or rain plays spoilsport, both teams get a single point each. The goal is to get as many points as possible to make it to the playoffs.
Now you know the answer to “How Many Points to Qualify in the IPL?” Seems like slowly and steadily, this cricket fan is turning into a cricket expert!
