IPL 2021 Play-off scenario: Can Mumbai Indians overhaul Kolkata Knight Riders and reach knockouts? Find out!

The result meant that the Kolkata Knight Riders under Eoin Morgan have 14 points from as many games with a net run rate of +0.59 and are firmly perched on the fourth slot.

On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians, the remaining aspirant for a berth in the IPL 2021 play-offs, will have a massive, if not impossible task at hand, on Friday (October 8) when they face bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad in the penultimate league game.

They will have to beat the Hyderabad by a margin of 171 runs on Friday to overhaul the net run rate of Kolkata. The Mumbai side under Rohit Sharma, the defending champions, now have a net run rate of -0.05, way below that of the KKR under Eoin Morgan.

So, in all possibility it is curtains for Mumbai Indians as far as their IPL 2021 play-off berth aspirations are considered. While MI hang on to that improbable mathematical equation, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals were eliminated from the tournament.

The Kings under KL Rahul defeated Chennai Super Kings but that was not enough for them as KKR defeated Royals in a big margin to show the exit door to both Rajasthan and Punjab and in all possibility to Mumbai too.

Three teams have already qualified for the IPL 2021 play-offs, Chennai Super Kings, who were the first to enter the knockouts, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

While Delhi under Rishabh Pant can still finish on top if they beat Royal Challengers on Friday, the RCB under Virat Kohli are assured of a knockout berth as the third-placed team.

In all likelihood the IPL 2021 Qualifier 2 will be between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers with the winner entering the Eliminator.