Teams are at the centre of one of the most competitive playoff races in IPL 2025 as the season nears its thrilling conclusion. With only a few league games left, top teams are locked in a fierce battle for the final postseason spots. This epic showdown is filled with unexpected upsets and dramatic finishes, promising non-stop excitement until the very end. Fifty matches into IPL 2025, and two teams – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) – have been eliminated from the race to the playoffs. What do the remaining eight need to do to secure that top-four finish?
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Played: 9, Points: 6, NRR: -1.103
Remaining matches: GT (a), DC (h), KKR (h), RCB (a), LSG (a)
Current position in the league is 8th, but if everything goes according to plan, SRH might qualify for the playoffs without depending on NRR if they win their next five games and finish on 16. They might be vying for fourth place even with 14 points. However, SRH will need to win four of their five games to reach 14, which is difficult considering their present performance.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Played: 10, Points: 9, NRR: 0.271
Remaining matches: RR (h), CSK (h), SRH (a), RCB (a)
With the victory over DC, KKR is still in the running for a top-four finish. However, they can only finish with a maximum of 17 points because they have only nine points from ten games thus far. As previously said, even KKR’s greatest performance in the next four games may not be enough to secure a spot in the playoffs because five teams might finish with 18 or more points. Similar to PBKS, KKR will have a chance with 15 points, but they will be eliminated with 13.
Lucknow Super Giants
Played: 10, Points: 10, NRR: -0.325
Remaining matches: PBKS (a), RCB (h), GT (a), SRH (h)
With 10 points from ten games, two points less than DC, LSG is stranded in the middle of the table after losing three of their past four games. To make things worse, LSG’s NRR of -0.325 is the lowest among the top seven teams, and three of their next four games are against clubs in the top four. They will have a chance with 16 points, but now, even 18 points do not ensure qualifying.
Delhi Capitals
Played: 10, Points: 12, NRR: 0.362
Remaining matches: SRH (a), PBKS (a), GT (h), MI (a)
DC is now six out of 10 after winning five of their previous six games. They will likely enjoy the five-day break before their next game, which is away against SRH, as three losses in their last four games have dropped them to fifth place in the standings. Additionally, DC may not mind playing three of their last four games away from home because they have won three of their past four away games compared to only three of their last six at home. As with other clubs, they are not secure on 18 points, but they are also not out on 14.
Gujarat Titans
Played: 9, Points: 12, NRR: 0.748
Remaining matches: SRH (h), MI (a), DC (a), LSG (h), CSK (h)
Despite having only played nine games thus far, GT has a game in hand and is thus on ten points. Additionally, their NRR of 0.748 is superb, ranking second only to MI’s 0.889. Since they already have a good NRR, victories in their three home games against SRH, LSG, and CSK should guarantee them a spot in the playoffs. They will be aiming for the points at home because of their 3-1 win-loss record in Ahmedabad, particularly considering two of those games are against the teams that are currently in the last position.
Punjab Kings
Played: 10, Points: 13, NRR: 0.199
Remaining matches: LSG (h), DC (h), MI (h), RR (a)
With three victories and one point from a washout against KKR, PBKS has only lost once in their last five games. Since six clubs can now finish with 17 points or more, PBKS needs to win three of their next four games to guarantee their spot in the tournament. While 13 points will remove them, 15 points will give them a chance as well, but they will still be dependent on other outcomes.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Played: 10, Points: 14, NRR: 0.521
Remaining matches: CSK (h), LSG (a), SRH (h), KKR (h)
With 14 points from 10 games, RCB is in a solid position in a season where the gap between the top five and the bottom three is expected to widen and the qualifying cutoff will likely increase. Up to seven teams might finish with 16 or more points, while five teams could reach 18 or more. RCB must reach 20 to be certain of their qualification. However, even with 14 points, RCB might qualify if other outcomes work out.
CSK and SRH, two of the worst clubs this season, will be the opponents of RCB in two of their next four games. Additionally, they have three home games left, but it isn’t necessarily a benefit, considering that they have only won one of their last four home games and six of their last six away games.
Mumbai Indians
Played: 11, Points: 14, NRR: 1.124
Remaining matches: GT (h), PBKS (a), DC (h)
MI is on track to be in the top four, if not the top two, after six straight victories, the most recent of which was a 100-run pounding that put RR out of the game. They have the best NRR of any team, in addition to having momentum on their side. They are now ahead of RCB, who have 14 points as well but have played one fewer game than MI, at the top of the standings.
Depending on other outcomes and NRR, MI can place in the top four even if they finish on number 14. If they maintain their lead on that metric, they may also be one of five teams with 18 or more, in which case their net run rate might be advantageous. In addition, MI has two home games left, which could be important considering they have won four of their last five home games, more than any other team.
Points Table currently is:
| Position | Teams | Matches Played | Won | Lost | No Result | Points | Net Run-Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai Indians | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 14 | +1.274 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | +0.521 |
| 3 | Punjab Kings | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 13 | +0.199 |
| 4 | Gujarat Titans | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 | +0.748 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 12 | +0.362 |
| 6 | Lucknow Super Giants | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | -0.325 |
| 7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 9 | +0.271 |
| 8 | Rajasthan Royals (E) | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 6 | -0.780 |
| 9 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | -1.103 |
| 10 | Chennai Super Kings (E) | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 | -1.211 |
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