Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru interact with Delhi Capitals players (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) is reaching its climax, and the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is – Who Will Make the Playoffs? The 18th edition of the IPL has been an interesting one given that it has seen two distinct clusters of teams from the very beginning of the season – with one exception! The perennial underachievers like Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Delhi Capitals along with the newcomer Gujarat Titans have dominated the competition from the first week and still feature in the top 5. Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have struggled since the inception and incidentally constitute the bottom 4! The only real surprise has been the stunning comeback of five-time champions – Mumbai Indians – who, after a disastrous start, have turned the tables, literally and how!
RG analyses the four teams likely to make the playoffs.
RCB’s Kohli Leads the Charge
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won three matches on the trot and leapfrogged to pole position. With 14 points from 10 encounters, they have a very high chance of making the last four. RCB have been very aggressive with the bat, both in the powerplay and death overs. Virat Kohli has been their mainstay with the bat and is the leading run-getter of the season with 443 runs at a strike rate of 139. He has been very consistent, registering six fifties in 10 innings.
RCB have also solved their age-old issues in the bowling unit and have been the most restrictive with the ball in the powerplay, conceding just 8.2 runs per over. Josh Hazlewood has been outstanding with the ball, and with 18 dismissals at a strike rate of 12.2, he is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.
Dominant Titans Hold Steady
Gujarat Titans, with 6 wins from 8 matches, have been formidable with the bat and have the best combined batting average (43.1) and the highest strike rate (167.9) this season. They are the only team who has lost just two matches in the competition. Sai Sudharsan (417 runs at a strike rate of 152), Jos Buttler (356 runs at a rate of 166), and Shubman Gill (305 runs at a rate of 153) have been their three stars with the bat.
The Titans have also been brilliant with the ball, boasting the best average and strike rate for pacers this season. Prasidh Krishna has been their unsung hero with the ball and has returned with 16 wickets at a strike rate of 11.6 and economy of 7.3 this season.
Delhi Capitals Aim to Regain Momentum
Delhi Capitals are currently at number 3 on the points table with 6 wins from 9 matches. They started with a bang, winning their first four encounters, but have stuttered a bit thereafter, facing defeat in three of their last five. The next two games are very crucial for the Capitals – they take on Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad and would ideally want a win in both encounters before they lock horns with other teams in the top cluster.
The batters have done well for DC this season – they have been aggressive, with five of the main six striking at a rate above 150!
Mumbai Indians or Punjab Kings?
The real contest is for the fourth position, and this is where things are getting interesting. It seemed a foregone conclusion at the midway stage, with Punjab Kings hammering their way at the top of the order – they have been the most attacking team in the powerplay this season. However, results haven’t gone their way in the last couple of matches, and Mumbai Indians are now knocking on the door too! The five-time champions have staged the most remarkable comeback in the history of the IPL – they looked down and out losing four of their first five encounters but since then have witnessed a stunning transformation, winning their last five matches. MI have jumped to number 3 on the points table and would now fancy their chances of making the playoffs.
The clash between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings at Dharamsala on the 11th of May could well be a shootout to decide the fourth team for the playoffs.
Nikhil Narain is a die-hard cricket romantic, published author, and has worked for some of the leading digital websites and broadcasters in India and overseas. An alumnus of the London School of Economics, Nikhil's forte is using data and numbers creatively to weave interesting stories and revolutionize the way cricket statistics are generated and analyzed.
