Punjab Kings have been absolutely imperious this IPL season and are sitting pretty at the top of the points table with 13 points from just seven games.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have also had a fine campaign and has accumulated 12 points from eight matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals have both settled on 10 points, though RR have had a wobble in recent form.
Lucknow Super Giants have had a torrid time, having lost six of their eight games and showing little sign of recovery.
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The tournament features 10 teams split into two groups of five each. Every team plays 14 matches during the league stage. You face the four teams in your own group and one team from the opposite group twice. The remaining four teams from the other group you meet just once.
The top four teams advance to the playoffs. If teams finish level on points, here's how positions are decided:
If NRR is also identical, team with most wickets taken gets preference
If everything remains tied, drawing lots settles it
Based on how previous seasons have played out, here's what teams typically need to make the playoffs:
Not guaranteed though - depends heavily on your net run rate
Would need several other teams to underperform badly
Historically, teams with 12 points have mostly missed out
Once the league stage wraps up, the top four teams from the points table move into the playoffs. Their positions are decided purely by points with net run rate acting in as the tiebreaker when needed.
The format gives a massive advantage to teams finishing in the top two spots. The first and second placed teams face each other in Qualifier 1, where the winner books a direct ticket to the final. Meanwhile, the third and fourth placed teams battle it out in the Eliminator, and whoever loses goes home immediately
The Eliminator winner then takes on the Qualifier 1 loser in Qualifier 2 to decide who joins the first finalist. This setup heavily rewards teams finishing in the top two because they get a second life if they lose their first playoff match. The stats back this up too, with six of the last eight IPL champions coming from the top two positions after the league stage.