IPL playoffs: Stage set for MI and PBKS to claim one of the top two spots
A spate of defeats for the top three teams has left the top two spots open until the very end of the league phase
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-May-2025
None of the four teams that have made the IPL 2025 playoffs - Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) - have sealed a place in the top two yet.
The teams that finish No. 1 and 2 in the points table play each other in Qualifier 1 on May 29 and the winner of that match goes straight through to the final. The loser of Qualifier 1 gets a second chance to make the final by playing Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator, which is a knockout match between the teams that finish Nos. 3 and 4 in the points table.
Gujarat Titans (Points: 18, net run rate: 0.309)
Remaining games: none
Remaining games: none
GT are on top of the points table at the moment but defeats to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last two league games have ensured they will not finish No. 1.
The winner of the game between PBKS and MI on Monday will move to No. 1 ahead of GT, who will slip to No. 3 if RCB beat LSG on Tuesday. If RCB lose to LSG, then GT will finish No. 2, behind the winner of the PBKS-MI game.
Punjab Kings (Points: 17, net run rate: 0.327)
Remaining games: vs MI (Jaipur)
Remaining games: vs MI (Jaipur)
Mumbai Indians (Points: 16, net run rate: 1.292)
Remaining games: vs PBKS (Jaipur)
Remaining games: vs PBKS (Jaipur)
PBKS play MI in Jaipur on Monday - a game that will definitely decide one of the top two spots. The winner will overtake GT and go to the top of the points table; the loser will not finish in the top two.
If PBKS win, they will be guaranteed a top-two finish, and can only be dethroned from No. 1 if RCB beat LSG on Tuesday by a particular margin to overtake them on net run rate.
If MI win, they will go to 18 points but overtake GT at No. 1 on net run rate. In that case, RCB could overtake them on points by beating LSG.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Points: 17, net run rate: 0.255)
Remaining games: vs LSG (Lucknow)
Remaining games: vs LSG (Lucknow)
RCB have the advantage of playing the last game of the league phase, against LSG on Tuesday. They simply need to win to finish in the top two.
If PBKS have beaten MI, then RCB will need to win by a particular margin to finish No. 1. If MI have beaten PBKS, then an RCB win by whatever margin will take them top of the table.
If RCB lose to LSG, then they will finish third or fourth.