Is the IPL playoff format unfair for 3rd and 4th-placed teams?

The first three years of the Indian Premier League (IPL) followed the traditional route of picking the two teams for the finals. The side that finished first took on the fourth-placed side in one semi-final while the second and third-placed sides locked horns in another semi-final.

The format of playing the semi-finals to reach the finals became a point of discussion among former cricketers, media, and fans alike. The argument that this format was problematic happened in 2009 when Delhi Daredevils (as the Delhi franchise was called then) finished at the top of the league standings quite comfortably but lost the semi-finals.

The BCCI decided that there should be some incentive for the teams to finish in the top two because they are playing as many as 14 matches in the league phase.

IPL Playoff format introduced in 2011

CSK won IPL 2011 when playoff was introduced for the first time. Courtesy: Latestly

The format of the IPL knockout stage changed in 2011, and it was called the Play-offs. The teams that finish in the top two play each other. The winner goes through to the final while the loser does not get eliminated. They get another opportunity to enter the final by playing the winner of the eliminator featuring third and fourth placed teams.

While it was beneficial for teams that finished at the top, is it unfair to the third and fourth position teams in the points table?

IPL Playoff record to date

The record of the Playoffs format, so far, suggests that it is unfair on teams finishing third and fourth.

SRH won IPL 2016 after not finishing in the top two. Courtesy: Indian Express

Since 2011, when the playoff format came into existence, only one team that did not finish in the top two has gone on to win the trophy. Sunrisers Hyderabad won the IPL in 2016 when their captain David Warner had a freak season with the bat.

Why this format is not fair

Even though there is an incentive for teams to finish well in the league stages, it becomes almost impossible for teams that finish third and fourth to win three games in a row to win the title.

Some people argue that the team that plays well through the one-and-a-half months cannot be eliminated by just having one bad day.

The counterargument would be that the teams that finish third and fourth have not had a bad tournament either. Sometimes, only Net Run Rate separates the top four sides. So, the playoffs are unfair on those teams!

If experts and many fans think that semi-finals are not the right way to go, rather play the finals directly between teams that finish at the top of the points table. This circuitous route of playoffs does have its problems.