Race to IPL 2025 playoffs: Three teams compete for one playoff spot
By- Rishav Date- 19th May 2025
With three teams already qualified, the last remaining spot will be claimed by either the Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, or Lucknow Super Giants.
With Gujarat Titans' victory over Delhi Capitals, three teams have secured their spots in the IPL 2025 playoffs: GT, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings. The clash between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians will determine which of them can reach the 17-point threshold, as only one can advance. Let's explore the teams vying for the fourth playoff position and their requirements to achieve it.
Mumbai Indians
Played: 12, Points: 14, NRR: 1.156
Remaining matches: DC , PBKS
DC's defeat to GT sets the stage for a crucial match against MI on Wednesday. A victory for MI will likely secure their spot in the playoffs, as DC can only reach a maximum of 15 points. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) still have a chance to hit 16 points if they win their remaining three matches, but their net run-rate (-0.469) is significantly lower than MI's, making it nearly impossible for them to catch up. Even if LSG wins their games by a total of 300 runs and MI narrowly defeats DC, MI would still need to lose their final match against PBKS by around 70 runs for their net run-rate to fall below LSG's (assuming first-innings scores of 200). In simple terms, MI can secure their playoff berth with a win over DC.
If they fail to win, their chances of qualification will slip away, as DC could secure a victory over PBKS, reaching 17 points and taking the fourth position. Conversely, if DC loses to PBKS, MI still has a shot at qualifying with 16 points by defeating PBKS.
If MI lose both matches, they will be out.
Delhi Capitals
Played: 12, Points: 13, NRR: 0.260
Remaining matches: MI , PBKS
DC's recent loss to GT marks their fourth defeat in the last six games, putting them in a challenging position for playoff contention. Their first step is to secure a victory against MI to keep their hopes alive. A subsequent win over PBKS would guarantee their qualification. However, if they manage to defeat MI but fall short against PBKS, they will need MI to also lose to PBKS and for LSG to not win all of their remaining three matches. In this scenario, reaching 15 points would still allow DC a chance to qualify.
Lucknow Super Giants
Played: 11, Points: 10, NRR: -0.469
Remaining matches: SRH , GT , RCB
As mentioned earlier, LSG's performance is lacking while MI's is impressive, making it unlikely for LSG to succeed in this competition. Therefore, LSG must not only secure victories in their last three matches but also rely on both MI and DC to remain under 16 points. This is a tall order, particularly for a team that is currently out of form, having suffered three consecutive losses and four defeats in their last five games.
If one of their games is canceled and they end up with 15 points, their only hope is for MI to lose both of their matches while DC also finishes with 15 points. However, even in that scenario, it's improbable that they would win any NRR tiebreaker.
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