 "Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians are the four teams that have qualified for the 2025 Indian Premier League playoffs. AP/Reuters")
The playoff spots in the previous season of the Indian Premier League were not locked until the penultimate day, in which Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Chennai Super Kings in a thriller at the Chinnaswamy to grab the final remaining spot.
As for the ongoing IPL season, nearly a week’s worth of league action was still left when Mumbai Indians thrashed Delhi Capitals by 59 runs at the Wankhede Stadium to qualify for the playoffs. DC had suffered a 10-wicket thrashing at the hands of Gujarat Titans in their previous game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which had sent Shubman Gill’s men as well as RCB and Punjab Kings into the playoffs.
MI’s victory in their final home game of the season on Wednesday thus locked the top four. What is not decided as yet is which teams will be competing in Qualifier 1 by securing a top-two finish and which ones will be facing off in the Eliminator, where loser walks home.
How GT, RCB, PBKS and MI can secure a top-two finish at the end of league phase
Here are the scenarios for the four teams that will be competing in the IPL 2025 playoffs and how they can secure a top-two finish:
Gujarat Titans
Points: 18
Matches left: 1
The Shubman Gill-led side had moved to the top of the table after their thrilling victory over Mumbai Indians in a rain-affected game at the Wankhede Stadium, and have stayed at that position despite suffering a 33-run defeat at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Despite the loss against LSG, the 2022 IPL champions can still finish among the top two so long as they defeat Chennai Super Kings in their final league match and RCB and PBKS don’t win more than one of their two remaining games. It won’t matter whether MI win against PBKS in their final game or not if they defeat CSK on Sunday.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru
Points: 17
Matches left: 2
RCB have performed splendidly under Rajat Patidar’s leadership this season, having collected four consecutive wins before their home game against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out . They face Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants in their remaining matches of the season, both in Lucknow, and will ideally be hoping to win both in order to guarantee themselves a top-two finish.
They can still compete in Qualifier 1 even if they lose one of their two remaining games, as long as no more than one team finishes ahead of them. This could mean GT losing their final league game against CSK or PBKS losing both of their remaining matches. Losing both of their games, however, will mean they will be playing in the Eliminator.
Punjab Kings
Points: 17
Matches left: 2
PBKS find themselves in a situation similar to that of RCB, with a similar NRR, and find themselves playing their remaining matches at the same venue away from home – Jaipur in their case. While Shreyas Iyer’s side will be hoping to win both of their remaining games, against DC and MI, to boost their chances of playing an IPL final for only the second time, they can still make it to the summit clash with just one win out of two, as long as only one of GT, RCB and MI finish ahead of them.
A victory over Mumbai on Monday will effectively rule Pandya and Co out of a top-two finish and Punjab will then be hoping that either Gujarat lose against Chennai or Bengaluru win no more than one of their two remaining games. RCB and PBKS could finish level on points as well, in which case NRR will become a deciding factor. Losing both games, however, will mean the Kings will be playing in the Eliminator.
Mumbai Indians
Points: 16
Matches left: 1
For Mumbai Indians to play in Qualifier 1, they will firstly have to win their final league game – against PBKS in Jaipur on Monday. PBKS also losing to DC on Saturday and GT against CSK the following day will also boost their chances of a top-two finish, and the Hardik Pandya-led side will also be keeping an eye on the RCB’s remaining games – against SRH and LSG on Friday and Sunday respectively.
The five-time champions ultimately cannot afford more than one team to finish ahead of them on points at the end of the league phase. Given they have the best Net Run Rate out of all the teams, they will have the upper hand if they are tied with one or multiple teams on points.