The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League is reaching the business end with a few matches left. The cash-rich league is getting competitive year after year with the expansion to 10 teams from 2022. Usually, the Playoffs in the league will be decided at the closing stages of the league phase, however, the case is different this time, as the team position in IPL 2025 was decided well in advance, with still 7 matches left, as four teams already made it to the Playoffs.
𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 🔢
Did your favourite team qualify for the Playoffs? 🤔#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/LtiXumlWdq
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 22, 2025
Contents
What Are IPL Playoffs Rules？
The standings for the IPL playoffs will be decided based on the position of the top four teams. The teams finishing in the top two will play in Qualifier 1, where the winner will directly make it to the final. The 3rd and 4th-placed teams will face each other in the Eliminator. The winner there will take on the loser of Qualifier 1 in the second Qualifier for a place in the finals.
Pressure’s building. So is the heat. 😬
Every point matters as teams jostle for a spot in the Playoffs 🔥
Who makes it to the final 4⃣?#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/MQ8c6QKtLs
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2025
Who are the top 2 teams in IPL 2025 at the end of the league campaign? The answer will be known in a couple of days as the league schedule will wrap up at Lucknow on Tuesday, where Lucknow Super Giants are taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Standings for IPL Playoffs 2025
Standings for the IPL Playoffs have already been confirmed with Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Mumbai Indians advancing further.
2️⃣ spots. 4️⃣ contenders 😬
Who’ll break through and lock in their place in the Qualifier 1? 🤔#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/h7EEUxzXyJ
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 25, 2025
On May 18th, Punjab Kings hammered Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets at Jaipur, which ensured their place in the Playoffs. Not only did they make it to the Playoffs after 11 years, they also took Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Meanwhile, the 5-time champions Mumbai Indians confirmed their place in the top 4, following their commanding 59-run victory over Delhi Capitals. All 4 teams have one game each in their hand and in a couple of days, will get the confirmation on the Qualifier 1 and Eliminator spots.
Why Finishing in the Top 2 Is Significance in IPL？
The top 2 teams in IPL 2025 will enjoy the luxury of getting two shots at the finals. If any team loses Qualifier 1, they will have one opportunity to make it to the finals. They will be taking on the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2, where the winner will advance to the summit clash.
The Numbers Don’t Lie – A Top 2 Finish = Triple the Title Odds
The IPL playoff format rewards the top two teams with not one, but two shots at making it to the final. Here’s how the math plays out:
Top 2 Teams (1st or 2nd)
| Scenario | Win Probability | Cumulative Title Chance |
| Win Qualifier 1, then win Final | 50% × 50% = 25% | 25% |
| Lose Qualifier 1, win Qualifier 2, then Final | 50% × 50% × 50% = 12.5% | +12.5% |
| Total | 37.5% |
Teams Ranked 3rd or 4th
| Scenario | Win Probability | Cumulative Title Chance |
| Win Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and Final | 50% × 50% × 50% = 12.5% | 12.5% |
As the table shows, finishing in the top two gives a team three times the statistical chance of winning the title compared to finishing third or fourth.
Who Can Finish as the Top 2 Teams in IPL 2025？
The four teams, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Mumbai Indians, are in the race to finish as the top 2 teams in IPL 2025.
𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽: 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀 📍
Led by Shubman Gill, the 𝙂𝙪𝙟𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩 𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙨 have made it to their third Top 4️⃣ finish in four years 🔥#GT fans, 2️⃣nd title loading? 🤔#TATAIPL | #DCvGT | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/uJSCIFt9ub
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2025
Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans had an excellent chance of finishing in the top spot, but Chennai Super Kings had other ideas in Sunday’s clash at Ahmedabad, inflicting them a heavy defeat by 83 runs. Not the way to sign off the league stage for the Titans, who recorded their worst loss in the IPL 2025.
Previously, they suffered a 33-run loss to the Lucknow Super Giants at their own Narendra Modi Stadium. Despite back-to-back losses, they remain in pole position with 18 points. However, they won’t hold that position for long, as the Punjab Kings or Mumbai Indians will dethrone them after Monday’s clash.
After the setback, Gujarat Titans will await the result of Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers on Tuesday, where they will be cheering Lucknow Super Giants. Royal Challengers’ loss will benefit them to become the top 2 teams in IPL 2025 after the league phase.
Playoffs Calling 📞 🤩
A long wait ends for Punjab Kings as they secure the all-important 𝐐 ❤
Will they clinch a 🔝 2️⃣ finish? #TATAIPL | #DCvGT | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/s12W5GOvwP
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2025
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings’ team position in IPL 2025 is in good space at the moment as they made it to the Playoffs after 11 long years. To finish as the top 2 teams in IPL 2025, the equation is very simple for the Shreyas Iyer led side, who just need to beat Mumbai Indians in their final league game on Monday at Jaipur. Despite suffering a 6-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals on Saturday, they still have a great chance to cement a place in Qualifier 1.
𝑱𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒂𝒏!🔥 pic.twitter.com/OYJ6NISoxs
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 24, 2025
Kings currently reside 2nd in the standings with 17 points, with a net run rate of 0.327, and a win in their final league game will take them to the top spot with overall 19 points. If they lose, they will drop to 3rd spot and will feature in the Eliminator.
Playoffs: Secured ✅
Belief: Unshaken 💪
Eyes: On the Prize 🏆@RCBTweets storm into the Playoffs with fire and focus 🔥#TATAIPL | #DCvGT pic.twitter.com/R3YKviNSjX— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2025
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has a golden opportunity to finish in the top 2 if they beat Lucknow Super Giants in their final league game on Tuesday. They wouldn’t have been in this must-win situation if they hadn’t stumbled from a dominating position of 3 for 173 to 189 all-out while chasing 231 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. Currently, they are placed 3rd in the standings with 17 points.
The quest for Title No. 6⃣ is alive 🏆
Congratulations to @mipaltan who become the fourth and final team into the #TATAIPL 2025 playoffs 💙 👏#MIvDC pic.twitter.com/gAbUhbJ8Ep
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2025
Mumbai Indians
From a solitary win in the first 5 matches to make it to the Playoffs well in advance, the Mumbai Indians had an inspirational journey in the IPL 2025. The 5-time champions turned the tournament around in the 2nd half, winning 7 of their next 8 matches. With the best net run rate (1.292) among the 10 teams, Mumbai Indians will finish as one of the top 2 teams in IPL 2025, given they beat Punjab Kings on Monday at Jaipur.
Prediction for Standings for IPL Playoffs
After analysing all four teams, their standings, and current form, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians appear to be in prime position to secure a top 2 team position in IPL 2025 and climb to the top of the standings for IPL Playoffs.
RCB, despite their inconsistent start to the season, have gained momentum at the perfect time and now find themselves just one win away from sealing that critical top 2 spot. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians have showcased the resilience of champions—rising from the lower half of the table to winning seven of their last eight matches, thanks in large part to a dominant net run rate that could prove decisive.
With Gujarat Titans faltering late and Punjab Kings needing a must-win performance in their final match, the team position in IPL 2025 could still shift in the coming days. Yet, Mumbai and Bengaluru remain the most likely to gain the two golden tickets to Qualifier 1.
Conclusion
In a league where finishing in the top 2 triples your chance of winning the title, these final matches carry enormous weight. For fans, the drama is far from over. The next 48 hours will not only finalize the standings for IPL Playoffs but also set the tone for who truly has the upper hand heading into the knockout stages. The race for a top 2 finish isn’t just about bragging rights—it’s about building the clearest path to the trophy.
