Chennai still has a solid mathematical chance of qualifying for the IPL 2026 play-offs but in order to make that happen, they will have to firstly win both of their remaining matches, that too, with a heavy and substantial margin which can boost their net run-rate. Only then can they wish for other results to fall in their favor
Published: May 16, 2026 1:08 PM IST
The Chennai Super Kings endured a massive hit in their aspirations for a top-4 finish as they succumbed to an almost one-sided 7-wicket defeat against Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants last night in match number 59 of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.
The 5-time champions thwarted a very good opportunity to go 4th in the points table but yesterday’s result kept them stuck in the 6th spot with 12 points to their name.
Now, they will not only have to win both of their remaining games but also rely on the results of other matches. They are in the race to play-offs along with 4 other franchises – Sunrisers Hyderabad (14 pts), Punjab Kings (13 pts), Rajasthan Royals (12 pts) and Delhi Capitals (10 pts), who has the lowest probability of reaching the play-offs.
Ideally, CSK’s main threats are Hyderabad, Punjab and Rajasthan – three franchises with almost equal amount of chances of featuring in the top 4. Chennai are slated to take on one of these three sides (SRH) before concluding their league stage campaign against top 2 favorites Gujarat Titans, who will be in action tonight against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
How can Chennai still qualify for the IPL 2026 play-offs?
Chennai still has a solid mathematical chance of qualifying for the IPL 2026 play-offs but in order to make that happen, they will have to firstly win both of their remaining matches, that too, with a heavy and substantial margin which can boost their net run-rate. Only then can they wish for other results to fall in their favor.
In case CSK doesn’t get to 16 points, then Punjab and Rajasthan will become the favorites to acquire the 3rd and 4th spot. The business end of the season is getting interesting with each passing day and it is that time of the edition where anything and everything can happen.
All that the play-off contenders will have to do is use their best combinations and display their best form, something Ruturaj Gaikwad’s CSK will be hoping to execute.
What happened in LSG Vs CSK, IPL 2026 match?
After losing the toss and batting first, CSK’s top order was rattled early on by left-arm pacer Akash Singh with figures of 3/26 but uncapped Kartik Sharma’s resilient 71 off 42 balls and Shivam Dube’s late cameo helped Chennai reach a competitive total of 187/5.
In response, LSG made a mockery of the target with Mitchell Marsh spearheading the chase with a blistering 90 off just 38 balls, including a 28-run over against Anshul Kamboj. Nicholas Pooran sealed the emphatic win in 16.4 overs, sliding CSK down to sixth in the standings.
