In the past, we saw many teams miss qualification despite being on top of the table throughout the tournament.

The table has often finished with a different look from what it possessed during the halfway stage.

The following are cases where teams have missed out on qualification despite good starts.

Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2010

The Delhi Daredevils were well placed on the table with six wins in nine games.

They had a strong side, filled with superstars, and we’re set for a third IPL playoff qualification in three seasons.

With at least two wins needed in the remaining five games, the Daredevils failed to qualify.

They lost four out of the next five games and missed out on fourteen points with a poor net-run-rate.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2013

The Royal Challengers Bangalore possessed a monstrous batting line-up in 2013.

The side had Dilshan, Gayle, Kohli, and De Villiers, who were also in good form.

The Royal Challengers narrowly missed the playoffs in 2012, losing a must-win game.

In 2013, the side got off to a better start.

They won six out of their first eight games and were going well.

The batting had fired for them throughout the first half.

After a strong start to the tournament, the side couldn’t finish well.

They managed two wins in the next eight games, falling from a comfortable position and missing out on the IPL playoffs.

They played their last group game against the Chennai Super Kings, needing a win to keep their hopes alive.

The game was reduced to an eight over the match, and Royal Challengers turned up well to win comfortably.

The win kept Bangalore in the hunt, but other results prevented them from going through.

Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2014

The Royals were in the transition phase during IPL 2014 and had built a strong team around Shane Watson.

The side was one of the best, dismissing Royal Challengers for 70 to prove their strength in the first half.

With five wins in seven games, the Royals needed at least two from the next seven to qualify.

They managed to win two games but a late surge from Mumbai, who saw them miss out on the IPL playoffs.

They were comfortably placed until their final game in the league stage, defending 190 in 14.3 overs.

Defending such a total may have been easy, but Mumbai fought hard and completed the task to qualify over the Royals.

Kings XI Punjab, IPL 2018

Kings XI Punjab made some smart buys during the auction ahead of the IPL.

They bought talents like Rahul and Agarwal.

Chris Gayle joined the side, and they appointed Ravichandran Ashwin as captain.

The side gained confidence after a strong start.

They won five of the first seven games.

Rahul and Tye were leading the runs and wickets throughout the IPL.

Kings XI leading throughout the first half, couldn’t sustain as they lost six of the next seven.

They slid badly through the second face and finished seventh after a strong start.

The Kings XI Punjab made this a new habit as they did the same in IPL 2019.

With a similar side, the Kings XI Punjab had a low finish to put them out of contention.

Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2019

IPL 2019 had five teams fighting for the fourth spot for most of the season.

The fight was so close, with Sunrisers qualifying off just twelve points.

The Knight Riders finished the season with twelve points and were one of the three teams.

Andre Russel was in robust form throughout the IPL, winning games on his own for his side.

The Knight Riders were in a comfortable position after the start and would have felt disappointed in missing qualification.

They won four of the first five games but lost six in a row to put their tournament in doubt.

They missed out on qualification due to an inferior net-run-rate.

Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2020

Throughout the first half of IPL 2020, the table was rigid.

Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Kolkata Knight Riders were on top for the most season.

The Knight Riders had put up some good performances but were nowhere near their best with Russel and Narine misfiring.

Despite the underwhelming performance from the two stars, Kolkata Knight Riders managed to put together some good wins in the IPL.

They got off to a good start, allowing them to break free from the other teams.

They looked set for qualification, but heavy defeats, particularly to Royal Challengers Bangalore, hurt their net-run-rate badly.

They had the lowest net-run-rate among teams in contention.

Late surges from Kings XI and Sunrisers also hurt the Knight Riders as they dropped in form during the same period.

The drop in form and late rise from other teams helped Sunrisers qualify as Knight Riders crashed out.