A last-over finish in Raipur against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has taken the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) closer to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Playoffs. The Gujarat Titans had leapfrogged RCB after defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 12, but the reigning champions have claimed the top spot again.
Can RCB qualify for IPL 2026 Playoffs?
The equation is as simple as it gets for RCB. They are on 16 points, and a win in the remaining two matches will most likely seal a playoff spot for them. However, even if they don’t win another game, a healthy NRR could still confirm the top four places for them. Of course, ideally, RCB would want to finish in the top two, which would give them two chances to qualify for the final.
If RCB wins 1 match (18 points): with one win, they will most likely confirm a playoffs berth. But they might have to play the Eliminator and subsequently Qualifier 2 to reach the final.
If RCB win 2 matches (20 points): not only will they qualify, but they will also guarantee themselves a top 2 finish. That reduces one hurdle for them, and the road to a second consecutive title gets easier.
No wins (18 points): Qualification would be at stake; there would be an outside chance, depending on the result of other teams. NRR might help them.
RCB remaining IPL 2026 fixtures
| Date | Opposition | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17 | PBKS | Mullanpur | 3:30 PM |
| May 22 | SRH | Hyderabad | 7:30 PM |
IPL 2026 points table (after match 57)
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RCB | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 | +1.053 |
| 2 | GT | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 | +0.551 |
| 2 | SRH | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | +0.331 |
| 4 | PBKS | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 13 | +0.428 |
| 5 | CSK | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 12 | +0.185 |
| 6 | RR | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 12 | +0.082 |
| 7 | DC | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | -0.993 |
| 8 | KKR | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 9 | -0.198 |
| 9 | MI (E) | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 6 | -0.585 |
| 10 | LSG (E) | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 6 | -0.907 |
