With Trent Rockets failing to secure direct qualification for the finals of the Men's Hundred, there's a lot more at stake for Sunrisers Leeds in their game against Manchester Super Giants on Tuesday.
A win will give Sunrisers a place in the final based on net run rate (NRR). Super Giants, MI London and Welsh Fire are also still in contention to book a place in Friday's Eliminator. Here's what the teams need to do to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Welsh Fire
Points 16, NRR -1.001, play London Spirit (Wednesday)
Welsh Fire's poor NRR means that the only scenario in which they can make the Eliminator is if they win their last league game, and Super Giants and MI London lose theirs (or split points with their opponents). For the Cardiff-based franchise to even move to a positive NRR, they need to beat London Spirit by around 130 runs. Even if Super Giants and MI London tie with them on 16 points at the end of the league stage, Fire's poor NRR is likely to knock them out.
MI London
Points 16, NRR 0.262, play Birmingham Phoenix (Wednesday)
The best-case scenario for the champions of the previous three seasons would be to beat Birmingham Phoenix and get a helping hand from Sunrisers (by beating Super Giants). Even if Fire beat London Spirit and draw level with MI London on 20 points, the Cardiff-based team is unlikely to be a threat. Even if MI London win by 1 run, Fire need to win by 165 runs to end up with a better NRR than them.
However, if Super Giants beat Sunrisers, then MI London will have their task cut out. Even if Super Giants win by just 1 run, or off the last ball of the match, MI London would have to beat Phoenix by about 33 runs or with 20 balls to spare to go above them on NRR. MI London have the benefit of playing the last match of the league stage, so they'll know exactly what is needed of them.
A three-way tie on 16 points involving Super Giants, MI London and Fire is likely to be a NRR battle only between the first two teams. However, in that scenario, Super Giants, who have a superior NRR, will be the favourites to come out on top.
Manchester Super Giants
Points 16, NRR 0.495, play Sunrisers Leeds (Tuesday)
To begin with, Super Giants would do well to win against Sunrisers to go to 20 points. As discussed above, they are on a solid footing should it come down to NRR between them and MI London. Any bigger win will only widen the NRR gap.
Super Giants will be eliminated if they lose to Sunrisers and one or both of MI London and Fire take any points from their last games.
A three-way tie on 16 points is likely to give Super Giants the edge provided they don't lose too badly. Super Giants have a buffer of about 30 runs over MI London. For instance, if MI London lose to Phoenix by 10 runs, then Super Giants can lose by approximately 40 runs to Sunrisers and still be ahead of them on NRR.
Sunrisers Leeds
Points 20, NRR 1.094, play Manchester Super Giants (Tuesday)
As mentioned earlier, with Trent Rockets' loss to Southern Brave, Sunrisers have a crack at securing a direct place in the final.
Thanks to their very healthy current NRR of 1.094, they are in the pole position to make it to the Eliminator even if they lose to Super Giants, either as the second- or third-placed team.
In an unlikely scenario, both Super Giants and MI London can leapfrog Sunrisers to book Eliminator spots against each other on the basis of NRR. For this to happen, Super Giants would have to beat Sunrisers by at least 42 runs, or with about 25 balls to spare. And MI London would then have to beat Phoenix by at least 73 runs, or with at least 43 balls to spare.