LPL Points Table So Far: The Teams in Race for the Playoffs

The Lankan Premier League (LPL), one of the popular franchise leagues in South Asia, has reached the middle of the tournament, and as expected, the competition is getting tighter with each match played. While not many matches are left, the teams count each as crucial to securing their spot for Playoffs.

So, let’s see the updated points table of LPL as of today and who is moving towards the Playoffs.

Latest Scenario in the LPL Point Table

4 out of 5 teams have already played five matches each, whereas Jaffna Kings has played six games where they managed four wins. When Jaffna Kings is ranked at the top with 8 points and Galle Marvels in second with 6 points, Colombo Strikers, Dambulla Sixers, and Kandy Falcons each have 4 points, which has intensified the competition as they are differentiated based on the Net Run Rate (NRR) only at this moment. 

Here is the point table as of today:  

SI	Team Name	Match Played	Win	Loss	NRR	Points
1	Jaffna Kings	6	4	2	+0.302	8
2	Galle Marvels	5	3	2	+0.030	6
3	Colombo Strikers	5	2	3	+0.067	4
4	Dambulla Sixers	5	2	3	-0.171	4
5	Kandy Falcons	5	2	3	-0.302	4

Chances Of Reaching Playoffs For The Five Contestants

Since each team faces the other at least two times in the league stage, they can get enough chance to fight back when they struggle in the initial stage. It’s been ten days since the LPL started, and the teams have faced each other at least once. However, not many matches are in hand for them, and therefore, it’s time to focus on the remaining game to secure a position for the playoffs.

Jaffna Kings on Top

Only two matches left for Jaffna Kings, and they are already in a comfortable position after securing four wins from it with a decent NRR. Even if they lose the other two matches, their chance of getting eliminated is meager.

However, they will try to secure wins against Kandy Falcons on 13^th July and Colombo Strikers on the following day to participate in the Playoffs as the topper, where one loss will still allow them to stay alive in the tournament! As their batters are in tremendous form, they are supposed to manage things from this point easily!

Galle Marvels, a Team to Threat

With only five matches played, the Marvels have managed three wins already with an NRR of 0.030, indicating they are in a comfortable position as well to reach the playoffs if they do not concede drastic losses in the next matches.

However, except for Tim Seifert, not all the batters are in good shape, which is a serious concern for them. While Jaffna Kings have the most successful batters, Galle Marvels is doing well with bowlers like I. Udana and Zahoor Khan, which is the strength they will try to utilize.

Colombo Strikers’ Concern for Keeping Good NRR

Colombo Strikers are still in the race with only two wins in five matches, as their NRR is not negative yet. However, the following matches are incredibly crucial for them because the Dambulla Sixers and the Kandy Falcons are just behind them with the same points but lower NRR.

While their next game versus Jaffna Kings on July 14th is crucial, the match against Galle Marvels on the 15^th is even more crucial for both teams to survive in the tournament.

Dambulla Sixers’ Struggle to Survive

They have the same points as the Colombo Strikers, but the NRR is negative. If things go the same as of now, then they will play in the playoffs. However, it may not be easy for them, as Kandy Falcon is also there, with the same points.

Thus, their match vs. Galle Marvels on the 14th is vital; even one big win can save them this time. However, reaching the playoffs as one of the top 2s seems impossible for them now as they have only three matches in hand, and securing wins and uplifting the NRR simultaneously will be difficult.

Kandy Falcon’s Last Hope to Reach Playoffs

Things are becoming critical for Kandy Falcon but are not out of hand yet. They have three matches left, and they will look to secure at least two big wins: one against Galle Marvels and another against Dambula Sixers.

They are currently in the lowest position because of poor NRR, which must be improved if they want to bounce back with the remaining three matches. Since Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews are in good form with their bats, they can be optimistic about securing their position in the Playoffs.

Best Performers of the LPL 2024 So Far

Several overseas and local cricketers are performing outstandingly in this edition of LPL. Regarding the batting performance, most of the run-getters are from Jaffna Kings. Pathun Nissanka is at the top with 303 runs from 6 innings, where his highest is 119. Avishka Fernando, his Sri Lankan mate, is just next to him, with 284 runs and the highest score being 80. Even in the third position, there is another one from Jaffna Kings, Rilee Rossouw, with 230 runs, where his highest is an unbeaten 108!

With 11 wickets in 6 matches, I. Udana from Galle Marvels is at the top of the bowlers at present. Shadab Khan from Colombo Strikers, with ten wickets, is in second whereas Zahoor Khan, another one from Galle Marvels, is in third position with nine wickets.

The competition is getting tighter with team efforts, gameplay, and some individual performances. Let’s see how many more things await the cricket fans until the tournament finishes.

Final Thoughts

The fifth edition of LPL started just after the T20 World Cup in 2024 ended when Sri Lanka couldn’t perform as expected, and the tournament is a platform to find potential T20 performers for the national team. As the performance of the Sri Lankans is impressive so far, the Sri Lankan cricket think tanks can be happy with the tournament. Besides, the audience enjoys the matches as a vast crowd is observed during each game.

Only one team must be eliminated, and two teams will face two knockout matches to reach the final. Each team is trying to grab a spot in the top 2, not just in the top 4, to secure their fate for the final, and thus, the tournament is getting tougher. Let’s see how things go and which teams appear in the Playoffs for the ultimate battle in the Final match on 21^st July.