As we reach the midway point of the Pakistan Super League 2026, the playoff race has become very interesting. Peshawar Zalmi, who are led by Babar Azam, has already secured their playoff spot by winning seven of eight games.
That leaves three spots open in the playoffs, with five teams vying for them. Multan Sultans and Islamabad United are very close to qualifying, while Quetta Gladiators, Hyderabad Kingsman, Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars are still in contention for the final playoff spot.
PSL 2026 Playoff Scenarios
| Team | Qualification Scenario | Remaining Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Multan Sultans | Need 1 win to qualify (almost done) | Multan Sultans vs Hyderabad Kingsmen (Apr 22), Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United (Apr 26) |
| Islamabad United | Need 2 wins from 3 matches | Islamabad United vs Rawalpindiz (Apr 23), Islamabad United vs Hyderabad Kingsmen (Apr 24), Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans (Apr 26) |
| Quetta Gladiators | Almost out, very low chances | Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings (Apr 25) |
| Lahore Qalandars | Good chance, need key wins | Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings (Apr 23), Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi (Apr 25) |
| Hyderabad Kingsmen | Must win all 3 matches | Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Multan Sultans (Apr 22), Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Islamabad United (Apr 24), Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Rawalpindiz (Apr 26) |
| Karachi Kings | Must win all + depend on other results | Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi (Apr 22), Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars (Apr 23), Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators (Apr 25) |
PSL 2026 points table
| Rank | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peshawar Zalmi (Q) | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 15 | +2.911 |
| 2 | Multan Sultans | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | +0.545 |
| 3 | Islamabad United | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | +1.481 |
| 4 | Lahore Qalandars | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | -0.503 |
| 5 | Quetta Gladiators | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | -0.355 |
| 6 | Hyderabad Kingsmen | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -0.470 |
| 7 | Karachi Kings | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -1.368 |
| 8 | Rawalpindiz (E) | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | -1.647 |