Rajasthan Royals entered the IPL 2026 playoffs after beating Mumbai Indians, while Punjab Kings and KKR were eliminated from the race
New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals qualified for IPL 2026 playoffs after beating Mumbai Indians by 30 runs in an important league match on May 24. With this win, RR qualified while Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders were officially eliminated from the tournament.
The four teams that have qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan Royals came into the match knowing they had to win to stay in the tournament. If they had lost, Punjab Kings or Kolkata Knight Riders could have taken the final playoff spot. RR handled the pressure well and delivered a strong performance when it mattered the most.
Jofra Archer Stars for Rajasthan Royals
Jofra Archer played a huge role in Rajasthan Royals’ victory with both bat and ball. He scored a quick 32 runs from just 15 balls in the final overs and helped RR reach 205/8.
Later, Archer gave Mumbai Indians a terrible start by dismissing Rohit Sharma for zero in the first over. He also took the wickets of Hardik Pandya and Naman Dhir and finished with brilliant bowling figures of 3/17.
Mumbai Indians tried to fight back through Suryakumar Yadav, who scored an important half-century, but RR bowlers kept control of the game. Mumbai eventually finished at 175/9 in 20 overs.
Archer’s all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award and helped Rajasthan Royals qualify for the playoffs in style.
Also Read: RCB vs SRH: Which Team Will Grab the Crucial Top-Two Advantage?
Punjab Kings and KKR Miss Out on Playoffs
Punjab Kings stayed in the playoff race until the very end after defeating Lucknow Super Giants in their final league game. Captain Shreyas Iyer scored a superb unbeaten century and briefly took PBKS into the top four.
However, Rajasthan Royals’ victory over Mumbai Indians pushed Punjab Kings out of the playoff spots, even though PBKS finished the season with 15 points.
Kolkata Knight Riders also needed Mumbai Indians to beat Rajasthan Royals. KKR additionally needed a huge win against Delhi Capitals in their final match to improve their net run rate and keep their playoff hopes alive.
But once Rajasthan won the match, KKR’s chances ended immediately and they were officially knocked out of the tournament.
Delhi Capitals had already been eliminated earlier after Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants.
IPL 2026 Playoff Format
IPL 2026 will follow the usual playoff format. The top two teams in the points table will play Qualifier 1, while the third and fourth-placed teams will meet in the Eliminator.
The winner of Qualifier 1 will directly reach the final. The losing team will get another chance in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator.
The winner of Qualifier 2 will then move into the final.
IPL 2026 Playoffs Schedule
Qualifier 1
Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Dharamsala – May 26
Eliminator
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals
New Chandigarh – May 27
Qualifier 2
Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator
New Chandigarh – May 29
Final
Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2
Ahmedabad – May 31
GT and RCB Set for Big Qualifier 1 Clash
Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face each other in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on May 26.
Both teams performed consistently throughout the league stage and finished in the top two positions. The winner of this match will directly qualify for the IPL 2026 final, while the losing team will still have one more chance through Qualifier 2.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished at the top of the points table despite losing their final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Gujarat Titans also carried strong form into the playoffs after performing well throughout the season.
A huge crowd is expected in Dharamsala for this important playoff match.
Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals will play the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on May 27. This will be a knockout game, meaning the losing team will be eliminated while the winner will move into Qualifier 2.
With four strong teams still fighting for the trophy, IPL 2026 is now set for an exciting playoff stage filled with pressure, drama and big matches.
