IPL 2025 top-two qualification chances: Who amongst GT, RCB, PBKS and MI are the favourites to have two cracks at final?
IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans, RCB, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings are the four teams that have qualified for the playoffs this season.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is reaching its business end. Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians have qualified for the playoffs. This is the earliest in any IPL season that the four teams for the top four have been finalised. However, the race is constantly heating up between these four sides to finish in the top two and have two cracks of reaching the final.
The teams that finish in the top two have two chances of reaching the final. The loser of Qualifier 1 has another chance to reach the final by taking on the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2.
The Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans, currently at the top of the table, looked set for a top-two finish. However, their loss at the hands of Lucknow Super Giants at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday has thrown their plans in limbo, and their fate now depends on other results.
Had Gujarat Titans won their match against LSG and then the fixture against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, they would have definitely finished inside the top two, and the franchise's chances of winning its second IPL title would have increased significantly.
With Gujarat Titans' loss, RCB and Punjab Kings are now the firm favourites to finish as the top two teams in the standings.
Here are the top two qualification scenarios for all four teams
Gujarat Titans
Shubman Gill and co. saw their chances of making it to the top two receive a major blow after a 33-run loss against LSG. Gujarat Titans' net run rate dropped from +0.795 to +0.602. The current table toppers now need to win their remaining fixture against CSK. If they win, they will reach a total of 20 points.
However, if they lose, Gujarat Titans risk being overtaken by RCB and PBKS if both win their remaining games. Gujarat's NRR is now also behind Mumbai Indians but still ahead of RCB and PBKS.
A win against CSK will all but assure GT of a top-two spot. However, a victory will not be enough as they also need either RCB or Punjab Kings to lose one of their fixtures.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
The Rajat Patidar-led franchise is currently in second place in the points table with 17 points. If the franchise wins its remaining two matches against SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants, it will definitely finish in the top two.
Even if the franchise loses one match, it will remain in contention, but it will need either the Gujarat Titans or the Punjab Kings to slip up.
However, if RCB loses both matches, it will drop to either the third or fourth spot.
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings are in the third spot in the points table with 17 points from 12 matches. They have the same points as RCB but are behind due to a lower net run rate. If Shreyas Iyer and co win their remaining two matches against Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, then they will finish in the top two.
However, they will still require Gujarat Titans or RCB to drop one game, as both these teams have a superior net run rate compared to Punjab Kings.
A loss in either of the matches for Punjab will make them play in the Eliminator.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, are currently in the fourth spot with 16 points from 13 matches. Out of all the four teams, they are the most unlikely to finish in the top two. The franchise who have won the title five time need to beat Punjab Kings convincingly to have any chance of making it to the top two.
A win against PBKS will take them to 18 points. Hardik and co will then need to hope that Gujarat Titans lose to CSK and RCB lose both their matches.
However, a loss against Punjab Kings will ensure Mumbai Indians play the Eliminator.
