IPL Play-offs: Dates, teams, venues, history & more

The IPL Play-offs begin on Tuesday, with the four remaining sides battling it out to be crowned winners of the 17th edition of the T20 competition.

The original and still leading franchise tournament in cricket, the 2024 tournament, will be concluded over the next week, with the top four sides in the final standings after Sunday's two closing matches battling it for glory.

IPL Play-offs dates

The IPL Play-offs begin on Tuesday 21st May and run through until the final on Sunday 26th May.

Date	Match	Teams
Tuesday 21st May	Qualifier 1	Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Wednesday 22nd May	Eliminator	Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Friday 24th May	Qualifier 2	Qualifier 1 Loser v Eliminator Winner
Sunday 26th May	Final	Qualifier 1 Winner v Qualifier 2 Winner

IPL Play-offs times

All IPL Play-off matches will be played as day-night contests and start at 19:30 local time, which is 15:00 BST (+4:30).

IPL Play-offs teams

The top four teams in the final IPL standings contest the Play-offs.

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings missed out in 2024 due to their inferior run rate, finishing fifth behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru after that pair and sixth-placed Delhi Capitals concluded their campaigns on 14 points.

Kolkata Knight Riders are 13/8 to claim their third title after topping the standings on 20 points.

Behind them are 13/8 Sunrisers Hyderabad - champions in 2016 - 4/1 Royal Challengers Bengaluru and 13/2 Rajasthan Royals, who won the inaugural event in 2008.

IPL Play-offs venues

The IPL Play-offs will be held at two venues. The first two matches, Tuesday's Qualifier 1 and Wednesday's Eliminator will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Then the focus switches to Chennai's M.A. Chidambaram Stadium for Friday's Qualifier 2 and Sunday's Final.

IPL Play-offs how to watch

All four IPL Play-off matches, barring the final, will be broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket.

The first two contests will also be shown on Sky Sports Main Event, while the final is scheduled to be available on Sky Sports Action.

IPL Play-offs history

The play-offs have been a staple of the IPL over the years, having been part of the competition since the inaugural edition in 2008.

The format originally featured two semi-finals involving the top four sides in the final standings. The leaders would meet the side that finished fourth, while the second-placed team would face third. 

This was changed in time for the 2011 season, with an extra game included.

The decision was based on fairness, as it was felt that the top two teams should be rewarded for their consistency by being given an extra chance to progress should they lose their first post-season match.

Therefore, the top two play each other in Qualifier 1, with the winner going straight into the final and the loser facing the winner of the Eliminator.

Chennai are one of two teams to have enjoyed the most success in the play-offs. The Super Kings have won the IPL a joint-record five times alongside Mumbai Indians.

IPL Play-offs format

The IPL Play-offs are contested by the teams that occupy the top four spots in the final regular season standings.

The top two advance straight to Qualifier 1, with the winner going into the final and the loser taking on the victor of the Eliminator contested by the teams who finish third and fourth in the table.

This year's Qualifier 1 features the 10/11 Knight Riders against the 10/11 Sunrisers on Tuesday 21st May, before the 11/10 Royals meet the 8/11 Royal Challengers in Wednesday's Eliminator.