---

Can CSK win IPL V?

Given the points so far and the matches to be played, does Chennai Super Kings have a chance to win IPL V? What should be the outcome of the remaining matches for that to happen?
Imagine answering this question about a week ago when more matches were yet to be played. And try answering this for any of your favourite teams.

Why is it that in the IPL points table, at no point of time, all teams have played the exact number of matches (except at the beginning when no matches have been played and at the end when 16 matches have been played by each team)? Is it an artefact of the design of the tournament? Or is there a schedule possible by which, say at some point, all teams have played exactly 5 matches? how about exactly 6 matches?

In this talk, we will see how these and many such problems can be modeled and solved using graph theory.