Before action unfolds in the virtual shootout between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday for a place in the IPL 2024 playoffs, all eyes are on the overcast conditions in Bengaluru, which threaten to disrupt proceedings in the big game.
The evening weather forecast for May 18 says '100% cloud cover'. However, RCB's veteran batsman Dinesh Karthik provided an update on Friday, saying that the weather is good "as of now".
IPL 2024: ResultsPoints Table
In a video circulating on social media, Karthik could be seen sitting inside a moving vehicle and saying: "As of now, it (weather) is very, very good. Fingers crossed for tomorrow."
With just one playoff spot left to be filled by one of the four teams still technically in the fray, the league stage of this IPL season is approaching an exciting climax that will most likely see CSK or RCB completing the top four.
Kolkata Knight Riders have sealed the top spot, while Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have also confirmed themselves a top-four finish. Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) hopes are only mathematically alive in their last match against Mumbai Indians, and the same goes for Delhi Capitals (DC).
Seventh-place LSG's negative net run-rate (NRR) of -0.787 leaves them with little hope, even though they have similar number of points (12) as RCB. Delhi have 14 points, but having finished their league engagements with a negative NRR of -0.377 to go with their 14 points, they too are hoping against hope.
The Bengaluru team's positive NRR of +0.387 makes them better placed. However, CSK, who have 14 points, enjoy the best NRR among the three, which reads +0.528. Because of that, RCB will have their calculators out to know the margins of victory they would need to leapfrog CSK.
However, in the event of a washout, CSK's points tally with go up to 15, which will take them through to the playoffs.
