IPL 2025: Top playoff contenders and qualification scenarios

The ongoing season of the Indian Premier League has crossed the halfway mark with the action intensifying for the 'Q' tag. The start of the season showcased the ultimate overhaul, with the underdogs taking the top spot and the seasoned champions falling into the pits of the points table. However, things have shaped up differently now that the teams have played the majority of their league stage matches. One of the most successful sides, Mumbai Indians, have redeemed their spot in IPL 2025 while their counterparts, Chennai Super Kings, have failed to cope. Meanwhile, fan-favorites Royal Challengers Bengaluru are currently placed at the top position, with their path to the IPL 2025 playoffs fairly seamless from here.

IPL 2025 playoffs: Top teams in contention for the qualification

Mathematically, none of the teams have been eliminated so far. However, the ask out of the likes of CSK and RR is so high that they are essentially out of the race. Meanwhile, KKR and SRH can still aim for qualification, but it would take unmatched efforts and a favor of luck for that to happen. Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants have a fair chance at the IPL 2025 playoffs but face stiff challenges from Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in the mid-table tussle. Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, have glided right up the ranks to become the favorites for early qualification.

Gujarat Titans

Without much noise, Gujarat Titans have banked on their strengths to emerge as the toppers in the season so far. Led by Shubman Gill, GT started out with a defeat against Punjab Kings. However, the momentum kicked off against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede as GT claimed four consecutive wins from there. The top order, consisting of Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan along with the skipper himself, has done the heavy lifting. Moreover, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj have proved elemental in the bowling department.

Even when Rashid Khan, one of the core members, has struggled with his form, GT's collective form is a positive. In 8 matches so far, the Titans have won 6, maintaining an NRR of +1.104, the best among the teams. With 5 matches remaining at the league stage and only three wins required to reach 18 points, GT is currently poised at the top of the IPL 2025 playoffs contenders list.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Six wins in as many matches played away from home. The run of RCB in IPL 2025 so far shows that it's no fluke for the team to be sitting atop the points table. Charged by the sublime form of their former skipper, Virat Kohli, RCB looks like the team to beat in the ongoing season. From tricky chases to nervy defenses, RCB has done it all this season. Moreover, the only aspect that held them back this season is also solved now. 

While dominating in away fixtures, RCB lost three consecutive games at home. The Chinnaswamy pitch didn't play in favor of the batters, as the home team bundled out at below-par scores against GT and DC. In the rain-marred clash against Punjab Kings, Bengaluru dwindled to just 95, that too came after a fiery fifty by Tim David down the order.

However, in the match against RR at home, their fourth fixture at home, Virat Kohli found his form at Chinnaswamy. Knitting a 95-run partnership, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal hit their respective half-centuries to push the total to an above-par mark. Rajasthan Royals fumbled another chase as RCB picked its first win of the season at the Chinnaswamy. Now, with 7 wins in 10 matches, RCB sits with 14 points, with just two wins required in 4 matches to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

Mumbai Indians

The five-time champions have scripted one of the most exciting comeback tales in IPL 2025. The team managed to win a single match in their first five fixtures of the season. Since then, MI has won five consecutive matches to rank among the top 4 at the IPL 2025 points table. The team with Hardik Pandya in the lead looks strong, as Rohit Sharma has reclaimed his form while the pace duo of Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah is proving anticipatedly lethal to the opponents. With momentum by their side, it seems no tough ask for Mumbai to win three of their last four matches remaining. However, even if not three, MI would stay in the playoffs race with their current standing of 12 points and +0.88 NRR.

Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings started dominantly with a win against Gujarat Titans in their backyard. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, PBKS looked like a redeemed team. However, they seem to have lost their way somewhere along the run. Their last fixture, the KKR vs PBKS IPL 2025 match, was abandoned due to rain in Kolkata as the teams shared a point. Now, PBKS have accumulated 11 points across 9 matches. Punjab Kings have a fair shot at the IPL 2025 playoffs with their only serious challenger being Delhi Capitals. Next in their matchups, PBKS have three home matches. Moreover, with opponents like RR and CSK, even three wins from here, with significant margins, would be enough for PBKS to cross the mark.

What are the qualification scenarios for the remaining teams in IPL 2025?

Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals remain in the hunt with 10 and 12 points in 10 and 9 matches respectively. However, the path seems much tougher for the rest. KKR and SRH, with just 7 and 6 points respectively, must win all of their five remaining matches, and by huge margins, to have even a slim chance of making the cut. As for Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, they are all but out. Even if they win all five of their remaining matches, an unlikely scenario given their current form, they would still need other results to go their way to stand any chance of sneaking into the playoffs.