With 15 matches remaining in the league stage of IPL 2025, the playoff race has intensified as seven teams are still in contention for just four spots. Three former champions – Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Rajasthan Royals (RR) – have already been eliminated from the competition, while no team has yet secured their place in the top four.
In this article, I’ll break down the qualification scenarios for each team still in the playoff hunt, analyze their remaining fixtures, and explain what they need to do to advance to the next stage.
IPL 2025 Points Table And Current Standings
Here’s the current IPL 2025 points table as of May 8, 2025:
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | NR | PTS | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GT | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 16 | +0.793 |
| 2 | RCB | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 16 | +0.482 |
| 3 | PBKS | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 15 | +0.376 |
| 4 | MI | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | +1.156 |
| 5 | DC | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 13 | +0.362 |
| 6 | KKR | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | +0.193 |
| 7 | LSG | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 10 | -0.469 |
| 8 | SRH (E) | 11 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 | -1.192 |
| 9 | RR (E) | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | -0.718 |
| 10 | CSK (E) | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | -0.992 |
Seven Teams Still in The IPL Playoff Race
Let’s analyze each team’s prospects for both top-4 qualification and top-2 finish:
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Matches: 11 played, 8 wins
- Points: 16
- NRR: +0.482
- Remaining Matches: LSG (away), SRH (home), KKR (home)
RCB are in the strongest position among all contenders. The washout between SRH and DC has benefited them significantly, as they now need just one more win to guarantee their playoff spot. Even if they remain on 16 points, they could still qualify if other results go their way. Two more wins would put them in a strong position for a top-two finish, which provides an additional chance to reach the final through Qualifier 1.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Just one win from their remaining three matches would guarantee RCB a playoff spot with 18 points.
- Even if they remain on 16 points, they’re likely to qualify based on having 8 wins already (win count being the first tie-breaker).
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Winning 2 out of 3 matches would take RCB to 20 points, virtually guaranteeing a top-2 finish.
- Winning all 3 (reaching 22 points) would secure them the top spot.
- If they win only 1 more match (18 points), they would need PBKS to lose at least one game and MI/GT to lose at least two games each to maintain their top-2 position.
2. Punjab Kings
- Matches: 11 played, 7 wins
- Points: 15
- NRR: +0.376
- Remaining Matches: DC (home), MI (home), RR (away)
Punjab Kings need to win two of their remaining three matches to reach 19 points and guarantee qualification. Their matches against fellow contenders DC and MI are crucial. If they win all three remaining games, they’ll secure a top-two finish. Even with 15 points, they could qualify without NRR considerations if several other results go their way.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Winning 2 out of 3 matches would take PBKS to 19 points, guaranteeing qualification.
- With 1 win (17 points), they would need other results to go their way, particularly DC and KKR dropping points.
- Even with 15 points, they could qualify if DC loses all their matches and both KKR and LSG don’t win all their remaining games.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Winning all 3 matches (21 points) would almost certainly secure a top-2 position.
- With 2 wins (19 points), they would need RCB to lose at least 2 matches and MI/GT to lose at least once.
3. Mumbai Indians
- Matches: 11 played, 7 wins
- Points: 14
- NRR: +1.274
- Remaining Matches: GT (home), PBKS (away), DC (home)
Mumbai Indians have been the form team of the tournament with six consecutive wins, many by convincing margins. This has boosted their net run rate to an impressive +1.274, the best among all teams. MI need two more wins to guarantee qualification, while 20 points would likely secure a top-two finish given their excellent NRR. With 16 points, they would need other results to favor them.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Winning 2 out of 3 matches would guarantee qualification with 18 points.
- With 1 win (16 points), they would need DC to lose at least 2 matches and KKR/LSG to drop points.
- Their exceptional NRR (+1.274) gives them a significant advantage in any tie situations.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Winning all 3 matches (20 points) would almost certainly secure a top-2 finish.
- With 2 wins (18 points), they would need RCB to lose at least 2 games and PBKS to lose at least once.
- Their superior NRR could be decisive if multiple teams finish on the same points.
4. Gujarat Titans
- Matches: 10 played, 7 wins
- Points: 14
- NRR: +0.867
- Remaining Matches: MI (away), DC (away), LSG (home), CSK (home)
GT have an advantage with a game in hand and the second-best NRR in the league at +0.867. Like MI, they need at least one win to stay in contention and two to guarantee qualification. Their schedule is favorable with their final two matches at home, where they’ve maintained a strong 4-1 record this season.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Winning 2 out of 4 matches would guarantee qualification with 18 points.
- With just 1 win (16 points), they would need similar scenarios as MI to qualify.
- Having a game in hand gives them a slight advantage over competitors.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Winning 3 out of 4 matches (20 points) would put them in a strong position for a top-2 finish.
- Winning all 4 (22 points) would guarantee them a top-2 position.
- Their strong NRR (+0.867) helps their cause in tie-break situations.
5. Delhi Capitals
- Matches: 11 played, 6 wins
- Points: 13
- NRR: +0.362
- Remaining Matches: PBKS (away), GT (home), MI (away)
Delhi Capitals gained a crucial point from their rain-abandoned match against SRH, which has kept them in the hunt. While 15 points could see them qualify if other results align, a more secure path would be winning all three remaining matches to reach 19 points. However, this would require a significant turnaround in form, as they’ve won only one of their last five matches.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Winning all 3 remaining matches (19 points) would almost certainly guarantee qualification.
- With 2 wins (17 points), they would need KKR to lose at least once and LSG to lose at least once.
- With just 1 win (15 points), they would need both KKR and LSG to lose multiple matches and hope for a favorable NRR situation.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Even with 3 wins (19 points), DC would need RCB to lose all their matches and either MI or GT to win no more than 1 game.
- Their path to the top-2 is complex and requires several specific results from competing teams.
6. Kolkata Knight Riders
- Matches: 11 played, 5 wins
- Points: 11
- NRR: +0.249
- Remaining Matches: CSK (home), SRH (away), RCB (away)
For KKR, the deFor KKR, the defending champions, the path is clear but difficult – they need to win all their remaining matches to reach 17 points and have a realistic chance. Even then, qualification would likely depend on other results and net run rates.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Need to win all 3 matches to reach 17 points.
- Even with 17 points, they would likely need DC to win no more than 1 match and for LSG to lose at least once.
- Any loss would severely damage their chances of qualification.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Even with 3 wins (17 points), KKR would need a miraculous combination of results:
- RCB to lose all remaining matches
- PBKS to lose all remaining matches
- MI and GT to win no more than 1 match each
- Realistically, KKR’s focus would be on securing a top-4 spot.
7. Lucknow Super Giants
- Matches: 11 played, 5 wins
- Points: 10
- NRR: -0.469
- Remaining Matches: RCB (home), GT (away), SRH (home)
LSG faces an uphill battle with three wins needed from their remaining three matches to reach 16 points. Their poor NRR of -0.469 further complicates their situation. Losing just one more match would eliminate them from contention.
Top-4 Qualification Scenario:
- Must win all 3 matches to reach 16 points.
- Would then need DC to win no more than 1 match and KKR to lose at least once.
- Their poor NRR (-0.469) puts them at a disadvantage in any tie-break situation.
Top-2 Finish Scenario:
- Mathematically possible but would require:
- Winning all 3 matches (16 points)
- RCB to lose all matches
- PBKS to lose all matches
- MI and GT to lose nearly all their remaining matches
- Realistically, LSG’s only hope is for a fourth-place finish.
Teams Eliminated from IPL Playoffs
Three former champions – Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals – have been eliminated from playoff contention:
- SRH (E): With 7 points from 11 games and a poor NRR of -1.192, their season ended when rain washed out their match against DC, denying them a chance to chase what seemed like a below-par target.
- RR (E): Despite a strong start to the season, RR’s campaign derailed with a string of losses, leaving them with just 6 points from 12 matches.
- CSK (E): The five-time champions have endured a disappointing season, winning just 2 matches out of 11 and sitting at the bottom of the table with 4 points.
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Conclusion: Seven Teams Vying for the IPL Playoffs 2025
The IPL 2025 playoff race remains wide open with several critical matches that will directly impact multiple teams’ chances. RCB appear best-positioned to secure a top-two finish for the first time since 2016, while the middle of the table remains congested with teams separated by fine margins.
The coming days will feature several high-stakes encounters between playoff contenders that will not only boost the winners’ chances but also directly hamper their rivals. Teams with superior net run rates like Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans have an additional advantage in case of tied points.
With the league stage reaching its climax, fans can expect intense competition as these seven teams battle for the four coveted playoff spots in what has been another thrilling IPL season.
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