The race to the playoffs has intensified in the ongoing WPL 2026, with RCB-W already through, and the other four pretty much in the mix with five games to go. Here is what the teams need ahead of the final stretch.
@B0$
@B1$
@I0$
With five straight wins to begin their campaign, RCB-W have ensured a top-two finish, and already have a foot in the final with 10 points. A win in one of their next two games will ensure them a final berth, but even otherwise, if they go winless, only the winner of Match 17 (DC-W vs GG-W), can match them at 10. That stated, their net run-rate of +1.236 is miles ahead of every other team, putting them in great stead.
@B2$
@I1$
Two straight wins will ensure a playoff berth for DC-W, while one could also seal the deal. Say if GG-W lose both their remaining games (one vs DC-W) and MI-W and UPW-W go down to RCB-W, DC-W would then finish at eight points even if they lose the final league game - comfortably ahead of the other three contenders.
If GG-W beat both DC-W and MI-W, and DC-W win against UPW-W, DC-W will be through with eight points, as MI-W and UPW-W won't be able to go past six in this case.
If DC-W lose to GG-W but beat UPW-W and MI-W win their remaining two games, then it will be down to them GG-W and MI-W tied at eight points each. DC-W can even make it with six points if they stay ahead on the net run-rate, more on that below (refer MI-W section).
@B3$
@I2$
A 45-run win over UPW-W @L0$ gave a much needed boost to GG-W's net run-rate, before DC-W stormed past RCB-W on Saturday and took the second spot. Wins in both their remaining games will ensure them a spot in the Eliminator on Feb 3, and they would also stand an outside chance for a top finish in this case, should RCB-W go winless from here on and the margins in either case are significant enough. If they beat DC-W and lose to MI-W, then there can be a possible situation of a three-way tie at eight points if MI-W beat RCB-W and DC-W beat UPW-W, thereby bringing it down to NRR.
They'll stand an even better chance if they go down against DC-W but beat MI-W, as that will ensure them a finish ahead of the latter, and a defeat for UPW-W in either of their remaining games would steal the deal.
In case they go winless from here on, GG-W would still stand an outside chance provided several other results go their way. For instance, there can be a scenario then wherein GG-W, MI-W and UPW-W can be tied at six points each: GG-W lose both (DC-W then get to eight), RCB-W beat UPW-W and MI-W; and UPW-W beat DC-W, which will make NRR the determinant factor.
@B4$
@I3$
Injury woes and @L1$ have put the two-time champions in a rather unfamiliar territory, but they are still in with a decent chance. MI-W's most straightforward bet is to win both their remaining games and hope for two of the other three contenders to stay at six points - the GG-W vs DC-W fixture would be closely looked at in this case, for the winner will get to eight.
If they lose to RCB-W but beat GG-W, there can still be a three-way tie at six points, as explained earlier.
If MI-W beat RCB but lose to GG-W, they would ideally want the latter and UPW-W both to beat DC-W for a start, and then stay ahead of UPW-W and DC-W on the net run-rate in this three-way tie at six points.
@B5$
@I4$
UP Warriorz are languishing at the bottom with just four points and have the lowest NRR (-0.769) among the five teams. The first scenario for UPW-W to go through without NRR coming into picture is to win both, and GG-W to do the same and run away with 10 points. MI-W and DC-W won't be able to go past six in this case.
Another way for them without relying on the net run-rate is to get to eight points, GG-W lose their both and RCB-W beat MI-W. If MI-W win against RCB-W in the above case, then the former, DC-W and UPW-W will be tied at eight points each.
A three-way tie at six, as explained earlier, might not be of much help for UPW-W, given their precarious net run-rate.
