Playoffs or pack up? After their crushing loss to the Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have landed in a tight spot. With just three games remaining, the LSG qualification scenario has gone from hopeful to hanging by a thread. That defeat didn’t just dent their momentum; it complicated their Net Run Rate and steeped the road to the playoffs. Now, LSG playoff chances depend on not just their results but also on other teams. And with the competition heating up, that help may not come easily.

LSG Qualification Scenario 2025：Rocky Road to the Top Four

Let’s not sugarcoat it, the LSG qualification scenario is not looking great. Losing to Punjab Kings, especially in a game where they were completely outplayed, has done some real damage. LSG on the points table in 2025 currently sit at 10 points from 11 matches, with a worrying Net Run Rate of -0.469. They now face a do-or-die situation in their remaining fixtures against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Rely on Other Teams’ Points

To keep their LSG playoff chances alive, they need to win all three remaining games. Even then, reaching 16 points does not guarantee a playoff berth, thanks to the tight competition this season. Given their low NRR, they might also need to win at least one of those games by a big margin and hope other playoff hopefuls like Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, and Delhi Capitals drop points. Simply put, the LSG qualification scenario isn’t just about their wins; it’s about others losing, and ideally, losing heavily.

LSG Recent Matches against PBKS

As for their last game against PBKS, it was a nightmare at Dharmashala. The Lucknow bowlers were taken to the cleaners as they conceded their highest-ever total of 236 runs thanks to a blazing knock from Prabhsimran Singh (91 off 48), supported by Shreyas Iyer (45 off 25) and Shashank Singh (33 off 15). The LSG bowling attack looked flat and lacked any real bite, which has become a concerning trend in LSG recent matches.

Sent the ball to enjoy the view 🏔😍

Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh with an entertaining partnership tonight 💪

Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/YuAePC273s#TATAIPL | #PBKSvLSG pic.twitter.com/9WqFWRd3zt

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2025

The chase never really looked on. LSG were three down in the powerplay, and lost skipper Rishabh Pant in the eighth over. Ayush Badoni (74 off 40) and Abdul Samad (45 off 24) tried to resurrect the innings, but the total was simply too steep. They finished at 199/8, falling short by 37 runs. It wasn’t just a defeat, it was a dent to their confidence and a big blow to their Net Run Rate, which is now a major obstacle in the LSG qualification scenario.

LSG’s Upcoming Games

Another big factor? The venues and the opponents. LSG’s next game is at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a team that sits at the top of the points table. Then comes an away clash against the Gujarat Titans, who have been playing consistent cricket and remain firmly in the playoff race. As for the final match is away against Sunrisers Hyderabad, a team that’s struggled this season with just three wins in ten games. Every opponent has something on the line, making LSG’s road ahead anything but easy.

Why LSG Still Struggling for Playoff Chances？

Now, about those inconsistencies, what’s going wrong with Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025?

1. Middle-Order Collapses

The batting lineup has promise on paper, but the execution has been shaky. Recent matches have exposed a worrying trend: strong starts fizzling out due to middle-order collapses. Take the Punjab game, for instance while chasing a steep 236, LSG were reeling at 71/5 before a late resurgence took them to 199, still well short of the target. These kinds of meltdowns have become all too familiar.

रोज़ उठो, विकेट लो, चालान काटो, सो जाओ 😴 pic.twitter.com/M19BjfA1Sy

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) April 12, 2025

2. Death Bowling Woes

The bowling hasn’t helped either. While Avesh Khan and Digvesh Rathi have had their moments, the attack has lacked consistency, especially at the death. LSG recent matches show a pattern of leaking 40–50 runs in the final four overs, something that’s cost them dearly, including against Punjab, where they gave up 236, their highest ever conceded total. For the LSG qualification scenario to remain intact, the bowlers must step up under pressure and start closing games better.

3. Lack of Tactical Stability

Tactically, things haven’t been stable. There’s been too much chopping and changing in the XI, different openers, random promotions, and experiments with the finisher role. Rishabh Pant has batted at almost every position in the middle order this season, and it’s not helping anyone settle. This lack of clarity has affected team rhythm, and in turn, LSG playoff chances have taken a major dent.

4. Low Confidence Under Pressure

The mental side of things isn’t looking good either. The team has crumbled in crunch moments, misfields, dropped catches, poor DRS reviews, the kind of errors that you simply can’t afford in tight playoff races. And when that pressure starts creeping into every decision, it messes with the confidence of the squad.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 🎯😎 pic.twitter.com/FF6W43kuje

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) May 5, 2025

With just three games left and no more room for error, LSG on the points table in 2025 are in a must-win mindset. They’re still in the hunt mathematically, but unless the inconsistencies are fixed fast, LSG playoff chances will slip away. Fans are frustrated, and rightly so this team has the talent to dominate, but they’ve been their own worst enemies when it counts.

Can LSG Qualify for Playoff in IPL 2025？

So, is the LSG qualification scenario dead? Not quite. But it’s definitely in the ICU. Three matches left mean three chances to fix everything or mess it up further. LSG playoff chances are no longer in their hands alone, and that’s never a good place to be in the IPL. Still, if the boys in blue can string together a final stretch of aggressive, mistake-free cricket, there’s hope.

The pressure is now on the leaders, Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, to take control, steady the ship, and stop the mid-match collapses. Because if they don’t, the next time we check LSG on the points table in 2025, they might already be mathematically out of contention.

For now, the fans wait, hope, and scroll through endless permutations of playoff math. The clock’s ticking, the stakes are sky-high, and the LSG qualification scenario is the story every cricket fan is watching closely.