What teams need to do to qualify for PSL 2017 play-offs

When it was said that the second edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be better and bigger than the first one, no one assumed that it will be tenser and more thrilling as well. We are done with 16 of the twenty round matches and still, there are three teams fighting for two spots in the play-offs; Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, and Karachi Kings.

So the question that arises is: What does my favorite team needs to do to book its place in the play-offs? We have the answer for you but you must know one thing before reading this; Head-to-Head results are counted before the Net Run Rate if two teams are on similar points in the Pakistan Super League.

Quetta Gladiators

Remaining Games: v Islamabad United (Match 17) & v Peshawar Zalmi (Match 19)

With 9 points in the bag from six games, they are as safe as houses. They just need to relax and start planning for the play-offs. Even if they lose both their remaining matches, they will still qualify. But if they do lose both the matches, there’s a chance that they could be playing the Eliminator provided Islamabad United beats Karachi Kings.

Peshawar Zalmi

Remaining Game: v Quetta Gladiators (Match 19)

With their win against Lahore Qalandars in Match 16, Peshawar Zalmi has confirmed their place in the play-offs. Their only match remaining is against the finalist from last year Quetta Gladiators. It will be a dead-rubber and will have no effect on the team’s position. However, Peshawar would like to win it to get an entry into the Qualifying Final 1 and have Eliminator 2 as a safe side.

Islamabad United

Remaining Games: v Quetta Gladiators (Match 17) & v Karachi Kings (Match 20)

The defending champions find themselves in a tricky situation with only three wins in their six matches. They are currently sitting at number three in the points table but things can take an ugly turn faster than they can blink. Their major hopes lie on the Match 17, a win and they qualify. If they don’t, they will be caught up in the land of ifs-and-buts. They’ll have to then beat Karachi Kings otherwise a loss against them might result in their elimination because of their head-to-head record vs Kings.

Lahore Qalandars

Remaining Game: v Karachi Kings (Match 18)

Lahore Qalandars can be called their own worst enemy. They had the simplest of the chance to qualify for the play-offs by beating Peshawar Zalmi in Match 16 but they messed up. Now they have another chance! If they beat Karachi in the next game, they qualify and if they don’t? They can still qualify. How? Only if Islamabad United loses both of its remaining matches.

Karachi Kings

Remaining Games: v Lahore Qalandars (Match 18) & v Islamabad United (Match 20)

Karachi Kings sit at the bottom of this year’s PSL points table until now but they can qualify for the play-offs. In fact, they have more chances than others.

Scenario 1: Beat Lahore Qalandars. If Karachi beat Lahore in Match 18, they’ll play the play-offs due to a higher Net Run Rate than Lahore. This is their easiest chance.

Scenario 2: Lose to Qalandars but beat Islamabad United and qualify on the basis of head-to-head results. This scenario is only valid if Islamabad United loses Match 17 to Quetta Gladiators; if they don’t Karachi Kings will be the first team to land back to Pakistan.

If Islamabad United loses against Quetta Gladiators, Karachi will then just have to win any one of their remaining two matches.