With last round of league matches starting today, Pioneer Sport looks at the Qualification scenarios for teams in the Ranji Trophy
Group A
Karnataka — 32 points; 7 matches; playing against Delhi.
Scenario: Already throug to QFs.
Gujarat — 26 points; 7 matches; playing against Mumbai.
Scenario: Need one point to be sure of their place in QFs. If they lose, Punjab should not take lead over Jharkhand and Delhi shouldn’t beat Karnataka with a bonus point.
Mumbai — 23 points; 7 matches; playing against Gujarat.
Scenario: If they lose to Gujarat, they need Punjab to lose too and Delhi to draw. If they concede the lead, need Punjab to do the same or lose and hope Delhi don’t beat Karnataka. If they take the lead, Delhi shouldn’t win by a bonus point, and Punjab shouldn’t even win. If Mumbai beat Gujarat, they will be through to knockouts.
Punjab — 23 points; 7 matches; playing against Jharkhand.
Scenario: Punjab are in the same position as Mumbai but their quotient is slightly low. If they lose this match, tournament will be over for them. If they concede lead, they need to Mumbai to lose and Delhi to draw. If they take 3 points, Mumbai should concede lead and Delhi should draw. If Punjab win, they will be through.
Delhi — 19 points; 7 matches; playing against Karnataka.
Scenario: Delhi have a very slim chance to qualify. They need to beat Group A leaders Karnataka, preferably by a bonus point. Six points will take them to 25 but if one of Mumbai or Punjab take 3 points, Delhi will be out. Delhi’s quotient is the best in the group, but for that to come into play, they need a bonus-point victory, and hope that Mumbai and Punjab don’t win.
Odisha — 11 points; 7 matches; playing against Haryana
Scenario: Out of race for QFs. Need one point to avoid relegation. If Odisha lose, Jharkhand shouldn’t beat or take the lead against Punjab.
Jharkhand — 9 points; 7 matches; playing against Punjab
Scenario: Need three points to avoid relegation after just one season. If they concede the lead or lose, Haryana shouldn’t take more than a point against Odisha.
Haryana — 7 points; 7 matches; playing against Odisha
Scenario: Bottom-placed Haryana will be relegated to Group C if they lose or concede the lead to Odisha. Even if they gain the lead, they will still need Jharkhand to lose or concede the lead against Punjab. A win over Odisha will put them in safe territory.
Group B
Railways — 27 points; 7 matches; playing against Uttar Pradesh
Scenario: Already through.
Uttar Pradesh — 23 points; 7 matches; playing against Railways
Scenario: UP need at least three points to seal their QF berth. If they lose, Tamil Nadu-Bengal match should be a draw. If that doesn’t happen, Baroda shouldn’t take more than one point against Rajasthan because Baroda have more wins than UP.
Baroda — 20 points; 7 matches; playing against Rajasthan
Scenario: A win against the struggling Rajasthan will take them through. If they play a draw with three points, they will need other results to go their way — a UP defeat, a draw between Tamil Nadu and Bengal and no bonus point for Saurashtra.
Tamil Nadu — 18 points; 7 matches; playing against Bengal.
Scenario: Need a win with bonus point. Also need UP and Baroda to not win win their matches. If there is a draw and TN take innings lead, then Baroda should lose.
Bengal — 18 points; 7 matches; playing against Tamil Nadu.
Scenario: Bengal’s position is exactly like Tamil Nadu.
Saurashtra — 17 points; 7 games; playing against Services.
Scenario: Need a win with bonus point and still hope UP to lose, Baroda to not take more than three points and Tamil Nadu-Bengal match to end in a draw.
Rajasthan — 14 points; 7 games; playing against Baroda
Scenario: Almost out. Need a win with bonus point to have a theoritical chance. They will also need the Tamil Nadu-Bengal game to end in a draw. Should that happen, then they will be tied with either of the two teams on 21 but will go through on the basis of more outright wins.
Madhya Pradesh — 12 points; 8 games; all matches completed
Scenario: No chance of qualification. But if Services don’t win their game against Saurashtra, MP will escape relegation to Group C.
Services — 6 points; 7 games; playing against Saurashtra
Scenario: Out of qualification race. Playing to escape relegation. If they win their final game, with or without a bonus point, Services will push MP to relegation.
Group C
Maharashtra — 29 points; 7 matches; playing against Assam
Scenario: At the top of the table but not assured of a place in the QFs. However, they only need to avoid defeat against Assam to qualify.
J&K — 25 points; 7 matches; playing against Tripura
Scenario: Need an outright win to qualify. Three points from a draw against Tripura can put them in danger if Goa takes 7 points aginst Andhra Pradesh. But if Goa get 6, it will come down to the quotient.
Goa — 22 points; 7 matches; playing against Andhra Pradesh
Scenario: Need a win with bonus point against Andhra Pradesh, who have lost just one match this season, and then hope that J&K take no more than 3 points from their match against Tripura. But if Goa win without the bonus point, then the quotient will decide who will qualify for knockouts.
Kerala — 19 points; 7 matches; playing against Hyderabad
Scenario: Almost out. For an outside chance of finishing in the top two, Kerala need an outright win with bonus point and several favourable results — both J&K and Goa should lose.
Himachal Pradesh — 24 points; 8 matches; all matches completed.
Scenario: No chance.
Hyderabad (18), Andhra Pradesh (14), Assam (14) and Tripura (1) are out of race for quarterfinals.