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Which teams are out of IPL 2026 playoffs contention? Updated list of teams eliminated from Indian Premier League
The league stage of the Indian Premier League 2026 season is approaching its business end as teams are now competing fiercely for a spot in the playoff round. ipl-cricket.in
Teams like Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals are comfortably placed at the top half of the table and are among the favourites to make it to the next round.
On the other hand, mid-table teams like Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders are fighting hard to secure their playoff spot.
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are currently running the risk of facing early elimination from the league stage.
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Which teams are out of IPL 2026 playoff contention?
As of May 4, none of the teams have been formally eliminated from the IPL 2026 league stage, however, MI and LSG are at maximum risk of exiting. Neither of the two teams can afford one more loss this season.
KKR are in a slightly better position compared to the bottom teams, however, they too cannot afford lose any more after going winless in their first 6 games.
Chances of elimination:
- LSG: 90%
- MI: 80%
- KKR: 75%
- DC: 60%
- CSK: 50%
- GT: 30%
- RR: 30%
- SRH: 30%
- RCB: 10%
- PBKS: 5%
IPL 2026: Points table and standings
| Rank | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | N/R | NRR | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Punjab Kings | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | +0.855 | 13 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | +1.420 | 12 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | +0.644 | 12 |
| 4 | Rajasthan Royals | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | +0.510 | 12 |
| 5 | Gujarat Titans | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | -0.147 | 12 |
| 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | +0.151 | 10 |
| 7 | Delhi Capitals | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | -0.949 | 8 |
| 8 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | -0.539 | 7 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | -0.649 | 6 |
| 10 | Lucknow Super Giants | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | -1.076 | 4 |
Cincinnati Reds: Conforto’s HR gives Cubs 5-4 walk-off win at Wrigley Field
CHICAGO — A game that should have been the highlights of the young careers of starting pitcher Chase Petty and Blake Dunn turned into a game that’s the lowlight of Emilio Pagán’s season so far.
After Petty and Dunn, two recent call-ups, provided a spark and helped the Reds establish a lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. But then, Emilio Pagán allowed a walk-off homer to pinch-hitter Michael Conforto as the Cubs beat the Reds, 5-4, on Monday, May 4, at Wrigley Field.
“Nothing has changed as far as our mindset as a team,” Pagán said. “We know we’re really good. We played a lot of close ballgames. Quite honestly, I haven’t held up my end of the bargain. As painful as today is, I feel like I’m getting really close to being who I can be. I made two mistakes today, and they both got hit.”
First, Pagán left a splitter right down the middle to Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in a two-strike count. Crow-Armstrong hit a towering fly ball to center field. Fighting the ivy, Myers couldn’t complete the catch.
“He’s fighting the wall and the basket,” Reds manager Terry Francona said “He took a jab step. You could see where he just kind of lost it off the side of his glove.”
Pagán’s next mistake was the fastball right down the middle to Conforto that won the Cubs the game.
“He just made a mistake,” Francona said. “Sometimes, it’s more than just what you’re doing on the mound. If the first play gets made, we’re probably shaking hands. I’m not blaming Dane. I’m just saying that’s a part of the game.”
Despite the loss, Petty’s performance gave the Reds something to be excited about.
He has faced a lot of adversity in a very young career. Last year, he debuted as the youngest starting pitcher in MLB and posted a 19.50 ERA in three appearances. He had a lot of work to do, and Monday was a sign that he’s trending in the right direction.
Petty, one of the Reds’ top starting pitching prospects, allowed three runs in 5 ⅔ innings.
“I tried to stay poised,” Petty said. “Stay within myself and do what this team needed me to do.”
On a big picture level, it was a big step forward for the 23-year-old. But on a one-game level, the two walks that Petty allowed in the fourth inning were a turning point after they were following by a three-run homer from Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki.
“The fourth inning, I wish I could get that back,” Petty said. “Free bags kill. If that doesn’t happen, we win that ballgame.”
Dunn, in the game as a pinch-runner, showcased his elite speed and scored from second base on a bang-bang play at the plate. That could have turned into a triumphant moment for the Reds against the first-place Cubs, but the result didn’t hold in the ninth.
“I know I have good stuff,” Pagán said. “I will pitch better. I will be better.”
Joe Burrow: Exciting to see Bengals' initiative to get better
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was nowhere near a football field on Monday, but his mind was still on the team's prospects.
Burrow attended the Met Gala in New York City and did an interview with Vanity Fair — Burrow wore a suit from Bode, which means we won't get a "The Bengal Wears Prada" headline — while getting ready for the festivities. Burrow was asked about his reaction to the recent trade for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence as well as earlier moves to add safety Bryan Cook, edge rusher Boye Mafe, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Kyle Dugger in free agency.
“I’m really excited about the moves we made this offseason,” Burrow said. “We need to get better, so it was exciting to see the initiative from everybody in the organization to realize that we’re in this exciting stage. We’re in our primes playing great football. Finding guys like Dexter and Bryan Cook and [Jacob] Bayer, to, you know, really solidify that defense so the young guys can also kind of rise up. We’re really going to try to achieve what we want to achieve.”
Bayer is a backup offensive lineman who signed to the practice squad last season, so it seems likely that Burrow was actually referring to another one of the defensive acquisitions and something got missed in translation.
Whatever the reference, it's a very different tone from Burrow than the deflated one he shared in some late-season press conferences last year. If that tone is still positive months from now, it will be a sign that the Bengals' offseason maneuvering worked out as hoped.
When will Luka Doncic return? Hamstring injury timeline and more about Lakers star's status vs. Thunder
When will Luka Doncic return? Hamstring injury timeline and more about Lakers star's status vs. Thunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Houston Rockets without Luka Doncic and largely without Austin Reaves, who was on the floor for only one win in the series. Repeating that success against the reigning champions is a much tougher task.
The Oklahoma City Thunder looked like the best team in the NBA in the first round, completing the only sweep of the playoffs so far behind star-studded performances from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren.
The Thunder aren't without injury concerns of their own, as they are missing Jalen Williams to start the series against the Lakers, but L.A. still doesn't have one of the NBA's best players as it tries to knock off Oklahoma City.
Here's what you need to know about Doncic's injury and when he might return.
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What is Luka Doncic's injury?
Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in an April 2 loss to the Thunder and was initially ruled out indefinitely. He is reportedly dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. While Doncic was only ruled out for the remainder of the regular season at the time, he also missed the Lakers' entire first-round series against the Rockets and never appeared close to returning.
The hamstring injury has sidelined Doncic for more than a month, and he still isn't quite ready to return. Here's a closer look at how close he is to getting back on the court.
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When will Luka Doncic return?
Doncic will not be available at the start of the Lakers' series against the Thunder, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, and there appear to be a handful of hurdles he still has to clear to play in a game.
Doncic remains on a "slow path," Charania reported, adding that the Lakers star is "still not full-fledged running or [doing] full-contact workouts" as of Sunday, two days before the start of the series.
That doesn't mean Doncic can't get back on the court at some point during the series — Anthony Edwards is an example of a player who sped up his recovery process because of the importance of the games this time of year — but hamstring injuries are tricky, and Lakers don't appear ready to put him back in live game action before he clears key steps in his recovery.
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Thunder vs. Lakers schedule
Here's the full schedule for the series between the Thunder and Lakers:
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5 | Game 1 at Oklahoma City | 8:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| May 7 | Game 2 at Oklahoma City | 9:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| May 9 | Game 3 at Los Angeles | 8:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN app/DIRECTV |
| May 11 | Game 4 at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| May 13 | Game 5* at Oklahoma City | TBA | TBA |
| May 16 | Game 6* at Los Angeles | TBA | TBA |
| May 18 | Game 7* at Oklahoma City | TBA | TBA |
* If necessary
The two teams have an extra off day between games only once, coming between Game 5 and Game 6 if both are necessary. The first four breaks between games will be only one day.
Doncic won't be ready for the start of the series, and the chances of him playing in the series are very much up in the air with the number of hurdles he reportedly still has to clear.