The race for the playoff spots in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026) is already heating up, with the tournament going past the halfway stage. Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, is the only team that is through to the playoffs so far, with 7 wins from 8 games so far. Three spots remain, and it is a battle between five other teams to secure the spots. The most favourites to take two spots are Multan Sultans and Islamabad United. Meanwhile, Quetta Gladiators, Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, and Lahore Qalandars will be fighting for the two spots left.
PSL 2026 points table (April 20)
| Rank | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PSZ (Q) | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 15 | +2.911 |
| 2 | MS | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 | +0.529 |
| 3 | ISU | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | +1.481 |
| 4 | QTG | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | -0.341 |
| 5 | HYDK | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -0.470 |
| 6 | LHQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -0.634 |
| 7 | KRK | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -1.368 |
| 8 | RWP | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.796 |
PSL 2026 Playoff Qualification Scenarios
Multan Sultans (MS)
Multan Sultans are currently second on the points table with 5 wins and 2 losses from 7 matches. They have a net run-rate of +0.529. In order to qualify for the PSL 2026 playoffs, MS will have to win at least 2 out of the 3 remaining games.
Remaining matches:
| Match No. | Date | Team 1 | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Apr 21 | RWP | Rawalpindiz |
| 33 | Apr 22 | HYDK | Hyderabad Kingsmen |
| 40 | Apr 26 | ISU | Islamabad United |
Islamabad United (IU)
Islamabad United, led by Shadab Khan, are currently 3rd on the PSL 2026 points table with 4 wins, 2 losses, and 1 no result from 7 games. Like MS, they have to win at least 2 out of 3 remaining games in order to make it to the PSL 2026 playoffs.
| Match No. | Date | Team 1 | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Apr 23 | RWP | Rawalpindiz |
| 36 | Apr 24 | HYDK | Hyderabad Kingsmen |
| 40 | Apr 26 | MS | Multan Sultans |
Quetta Gladiators (QTG)
Quetta Gladiators need to win both their remaining matches in order to stand a chance of qualifying for the PSL 2026 playoffs. They are currently positioned fourth on the PSL 11 points table with 6 points to their name, but are ahead of HK, LQ, and KK based on net-run-rate.
| Match No. | Date | Team Code | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th Match | Apr 21 | LHQ | Lahore Qalandars |
| 37th Match | Apr 25 | KRK | Karachi Kings |
Lahore Qalandars (LHQ)
Lahore Qalandars are sixth on the PSL 2026 points table, with 3 wins from 7 games. Like QTG, they need to win all the remaining matches in order to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoffs.
| Match No. | Date | Team Code | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th Match | Apr 21 | QTG | Quetta Gladiators |
| 35th Match | Apr 23 | KRK | Karachi Kings |
| 38th Match | Apr 25 | PSZ | Peshawar Zalmi |
Hyderabad Kingsmen (HK)
HK are 5th on the points table with 3 wins from 7 matches. Like the aforementioned two teams, Kingsmen need to win 3 out of 3 remaining games in order to make it to the PSL 2026 playoffs.
| Match No. | Date | Team Code | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33rd Match | Apr 22 | MS | Multan Sultans |
| 36th Match | Apr 24 | ISU | Islamabad United |
| 39th Match | Apr 26 | RWP | Rawalpindiz |
Karachi Kings (KK)
Karachi Kings are the least expected to qualify for the PSL 2026 playoffs, given their net run-rate. After losing 4 out of 7 games, the side boasts of an NRR of -1.368. They have to win all their remaining matches in order to stand a chance of beating other teams and make it to the playoffs.
| Match No. | Date | Team Code | Team Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32nd Match | Apr 22 | PSZ | Peshawar Zalmi |
| 35th Match | Apr 23 | LHQ | Lahore Qalandars |
| 37th Match | Apr 25 | QTG | Quetta Gladiators |
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