RCB faced a major setback in their IPL 2024 campaign with a devastating defeat against SunRisers at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. They conceded a massive 287 runs, their highest-ever total in franchise T20 cricket. Despite a commendable effort in their chase, scoring 262 runs, RCB couldn’t secure a win, highlighting weaknesses in their bowling unit once more. The team was disheartened by the loss, reflecting a somber atmosphere in their camp.

WHAT did we just witness! 5️⃣4️⃣9️⃣ runs scored in an IPL match. 🤯

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A little luck and the result could have been different for us. Overall, an amazing fight and we’re proud of the boys for their effort with the bat! 🙌#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2024 #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/qmdXwDIMzZ

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 15, 2024

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RCB’s disappointing trend continued as they suffered their sixth loss of the season in seven matches, derailing their campaign. Despite starting with optimism, especially following their women’s team’s triumph in the Women’s Premier League led by Smriti Mandhana, the men’s team has failed to meet expectations yet again this season.

Despite their challenging position, RCB still holds a slim chance of making it to the playoffs in the IPL 2024 season. However, they cannot afford any more setbacks, as accumulating at least 16 points might be necessary to secure a top-four spot. Currently, RCB sits at the bottom of the points table with only 2 points from 7 matches. They lag behind Delhi by 2 points, with Delhi occupying the 9th spot with 4 points from 6 matches. RCB’s Net Run Rate is also the worst among the 10 teams, standing at -1.185, largely due to their significant defeats in most of their 7 games. Their lone victory came against Punjab at home on March 25, and since then, the 2016 finalists have endured a five-match losing streak.

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WHAT RCB NEED TO QUALIFY FOR PLAYOFF

RCB’s head coach, Andy Flower, emphasized the urgency for the team to approach each remaining game as a must-win situation, essentially treating them as knockouts. To secure a chance at reaching the playoffs, RCB must win all of their next 7 matches, aiming to accumulate a total of 16 points.

However, even reaching 16 points might not guarantee them a playoff berth if they end up tied with one or more teams on the points table. This is because RCB’s Net Run Rate has suffered significant damage, making it a crucial factor in potential tie-break situations.

It seems RCB has quite the uphill battle ahead. Historically, accumulating 16 points has been the minimum requirement to secure a playoff spot in IPL seasons with more than 8 teams. RCB themselves experienced the heartbreak of missing out on the playoffs in 2013 despite reaching 16 points, falling short due to a lower Net Run Rate compared to SunRisers.

In IPL 2023, Mumbai Indians secured a playoff berth with 16 points, clinching the 4th spot ahead of Rajasthan Royals, who had two points fewer. Similarly, in IPL 2022, RCB managed to secure the 4th spot with 16 points, edging past Delhi Capitals by two points.

Looking ahead, RCB faces a daunting challenge in their remaining matches, as they are set to encounter four former champions. This certainly adds to the pressure and difficulty of their playoff pursuit.

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