With 55 matches done and dusted in the Indian Premier League, the IPL 2025 playoff race is entering the last turn. Due to a washout, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been knocked out, and the Delhi Capitals (DC) remain at the 5th spot on the points table.
Two teams — Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) — have been knocked out. RR, with a massive 100-run loss against Mumbai Indians, became the second team to exit. CSK, with their 8th loss in the competition, became the first team to be knocked out. Now, seven teams will race for the top 4.
Current Standings and Overview
As of May 4, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are on top with 16 points from 11 matches. Punjab Kings (PBKS) are at the second spot with 15 points. Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are tied on 14 points. DC are at 13. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have 11 points, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have 10 points.
The playoff cutoff is typically around 16 points, but 14 points can sometimes suffice depending on net run rate (NRR) and other results. However, the minimum requirement for a 10-team tournament is 14 points.
IPL 2025 Points Table
| Pos | Teams | Mat | Won | Lost | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0.482 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 0.376 |
| 3 | Mumbai Indians | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1.274 |
| 4 | Gujarat Titans | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0.867 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0.362 |
| 6 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 0.249 |
| 7 | Lucknow Super Giants | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10 | -0.469 |
| 8 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (E) | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 | -1.192 |
| 9 | Rajasthan Royals (E) | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 6 | -0.78 |
| 10 | Chennai Super Kings (E) | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 4 | -1.117 |
IPL Playoff format
- Qualifier 1: The top two teams (1st vs 2nd) from the league stage compete. The winner advances directly to the final. The loser gets another chance in Qualifier 2.
- Eliminator: The third and fourth-placed teams (3rd vs 4th) face off. The winner advances to Qualifier 2, and the loser is eliminated.
- Qualifier 2: The loser of Qualifier 1 plays the winner of the Eliminator. The winner of this match qualifies for the final. The loser is eliminated.
- Final: The winner of Qualifier 1 faces the winner of Qualifier 2 to determine the IPL champion.
IPL 2025 Playoff Scenarios
With a few matches left in the league stage, this is now the race to the playoffs. With CSK, RR and SRH knocked out, seven teams are fighting for the top 4 spots. So far, MI, GT, RCB and PBKS are just a win away from making it to the playoffs.
RCB qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 16 points, NRR +0.482, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: RCB have all but confirmed their spot in the playoffs, having scored 16 points. However, they will need one more win to officially confirm the spot. With 2 wins, they reach 20 points, likely securing a top-2 finish and a direct path to Qualifier 1.
- Probability: ~95%.
- Remaining Matches: LSG (away), SRH (home), KKR (home).
PBKS qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 15 points, NRR +0.376, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: With yet another win, their qualification is just a mere formality; now the team needs to stay in the top 2, to get another chance to make it to the final.
- Probability: ~80-85%.
- Remaining Matches: DC (Home), MI (Home), RR (Away)
MI qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 14 points, NRR +0.889, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: With six consecutive wins, MI have jumped to the top spot with a better Net Run Rate (NRR) than RCB. They now have 14 points and need just 1 win in 3 matches to get to the magic number of 16. If MI win 3 out of 3, that could help them finish in the top 2, ensuring a Qualifier 1 spot. However, if MI lose all three, it could be a difficult road, as Hardik Pandya & Co will take on three teams in the top 6.
- Probability: ~90%.
- Remaining Matches: GT (Home), PBKS (Away), DC (Home)
GT qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 10 matches, 14 points, NRR +0.867, 4 matches left.
- Scenario: GT has an extra match, needing 1 win for 16 points, likely qualifying. 2 wins take them to 18 points, with their strong NRR ensuring tiebreaker advantages. Their position is robust.
- Probability: ~90-95%.
- Remaining Matches: MI (Away), DC (Away), LSG (Home), CSK (Home)
DC qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 13 points, NRR +0.362, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: DC needs 2 wins for 17 points, but their NRR is lower than RCB, PBKS, MI and GT, so they might need 3 wins for 19 points to be safe in ties. Their path is competitive but achievable.
- Probability: ~70-75%.
- Remaining Matches: PBKS (Away), GT (Home), MI (Away)
KKR qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 11 points, NRR +0.249, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: KKR needs 2 wins for 15 points, possible with positive NRR. 4 wins to 17 points would be safer. Their match against RR was a close affair, and they need to be very careful of how they approach their remaining matches. Touch and go for them.
- Probability: ~40-50%.
- Remaining Matches: CSK (Home), SRH (Away), RCB (Away)
LSG qualification scenarios
- Current Status: 11 matches, 10 points, NRR -0.469, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: LSG needs 3 wins for 16 points, necessary for playoffs. 2 wins give 14 points, but their negative NRR makes qualification risky unless other teams falter. Their remaining fixtures include tough opponents like RCB and GT.
- Probability: ~20-30%.
- Key Matches: RCB (Home), GT (Away), SRH (Home)
SRH qualification scenarios – Eliminated
- Current Status: 11 matches, 7 points, NRR -1.192, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: Even with 3 wins, SRH can only gain 13 points. This isn’t enought and they have been knocked out of the IPL 2025 season after coming in as the reigning finalists.
- Probability: ~0%.
- Remaining Matches: KKR (Home), RCB (Away), LSG (Away)
RR qualification scenarios out – Eliminated
- Current Status: 12 matches, 6 points, NRR -0.718, 2 matches left.
- Scenario: After their loss to MI, RR has become the second team to exit the playoff race. RR needed to win all 4 remaining matches for 14 points. But after the loss, RR can only get a maximum of 12 points. With 9 losses and just 3 wins, their season has been disappointing, and they are out.
- Probability: ~0%.
- Key Matches: CSK (Away), PBKS (Home)
CSK qualification scenarios – Eliminated
- Current Status: 11 matches, 4 points, NRR -1.117, 3 matches left.
- Scenario: CSK can score a maximum of 10 points of they win all three remaining matches. Hence, CSK are the first team to be knocked out
- Probability: ~0%.
- Remaining Matches: KKR (Away), RR (Home), GT (Away)
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