IPL 2015 Schedule: Play-off Fixtures, Live Stream Info, Latest Odds, Predictions

Mumbai Indians confirmed themselves as the final play-off team in the 2015 IPL on Sunday as they thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets to take second in the standings.

They join table-topping Chennai Super Kings in Tuesday's first qualifier at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, with the winner going on to the final, and the loser given another bite of the cherry against the winner of Wednesday's eliminator.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, who finished third in the points table, will face fourth-placed Rajasthan Royals in the eliminator at the MCA International Stadium, Pune, with the loser heading home.

Here is the full schedule for the play-off fixtures, along with live streaming information, the latest title odds and predictions.

Date	Time (BST)	Fixture	Venue
May 19	3:30 p.m.	Qualifier 1 - Chennai Super Kings vs. Mumbai Indians	Mumbai
May 20	3:30 p.m.	Eliminator - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Rajasthan Royals	Pune
May 22	3:30 p.m.	Qualifier 2 - TBC vs. TBC	Ranchi
May 24	3:30 p.m.	Final - TBC vs. TBC	Kolkata

All matches available to live stream in the UK via Sky Go.

Team	Odds
Chennai Super Kings	7-5
Mumbai Indians	21-10
Royal Challengers Bangalore	7-2
Rajasthan Royals	9-1

CSK to Reach Final and Win 

Rob Griffith/Associated Press

Chennai have the best team in the competition. They were pre-tournament favourites and remain the team to beat having topped the standings with nine victories from their 14 matches.

Unlike last season's table-toppers Kings XI Punjab—who started the season irresistibly only to dip dramatically and lose in the final—the Super Kings this year have been consistent throughout the regular season.

And unlike last season, they are not set to come up against a ludicrously in-form side in the qualifier, Mumbai's winning streak only standing at two compared to KKR's seven in a row ahead of the play-offs in 2014.

While Mumbai are a decent side, Chennai will simply have too much depth for them. From Suresh Raina to MS Dhoni to Ravi Ashwin to Ashish Nehra, they have quality throughout.

Furthermore, they have incredible experience at the business end of the IPL, per Broken Cricket:

The easiest path to the final should see them fresher and better prepared when it rolls around on May 24, and Chennai will have what it takes to prevail.

Victory in IPL 8 would make them the most successful side in the tournament's history with three triumphs, ahead of Kolkata's two.

Royal Challengers to Make Final Two

Royal Challengers Bangalore were somewhat unfortunate not to make the top two as their final match on Sunday against Delhi Daredevils was abandoned due to rain.

As a result, they must win two matches if they are to reach the final. The first is against Rajasthan Royals, who, after a fine start to the competition, have tailed off slightly.

Steve Smith's Royals lost two of their last three matches in the league and face up to a dangerous batting unit in RCB which includes Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers.

Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc has proven incredibly effective and important since his late arrival in the IPL as RCB's front-line bowler, per former Indian opener Aakash Chopra:

Much like CSK, Bangalore boast enviable depth which will see them past the Royals and into the second qualifier.

In the most likely scenario, they will then edge past Mumbai into the final to face Chennai. Against the Super Kings, RCB will fall short, as they did both times the teams met in the regular season.

However, the Challengers have improved through the tournament and should make a good game of it, Gayle, De Villiers and Kohli capable of huge scoring.

But Chennai's experience, as it so often does with Dhoni at the helm, will show through in the end.