With Mumbai Indians Playoff Qualification secured, the IPL 2025 playoff race has concluded, but the four qualified teams :
Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians are now locked in a fierce IPL 2025 Top-Two Race to claim the coveted Nos. 1 and 2 positions on the points table, intensifying the GT-RCB-PBKS Competition.
On May 29, the top two teams square off in Qualifier 1, with the winner advancing directly to the championship game. By playing Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator, a knockout match between the teams that finish Nos. 3 and 4 in the points table, the loser of Qualifier 1 gets another chance to advance to the final.
Gujarat Titans (Points: 18, net run-rate: 0.795) Remaining games: vs LSG (Ahmedabad), vs CSK (Ahmedabad)
GT are on the top of IPL 2025 point table with the second best run rate.
Gujarat Titans (GT) are in a strong position, but the IPL 2025 race has gotten more competitive since the Mumbai Indians earned playoff qualification. GT will finish first with 22 points, an unbeatable total, and secure its top finish if it wins its final two games against LSG (May 22) and CSK (May 25). However, if GT wins just one game and reaches 20 points, they run the risk of falling out of the top two if Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru win both of their remaining games and score 21 points apiece, intensifying the rivalry between the two teams and changing the IPL Points Table.
If RCB loses their next two games and PBKS defeats MI, or if RCB and PBKS lose both of their remaining games, GT could still finish in the top two even if they lose both of their remaining games and remain at 18 points.
Bengaluru Royal Challengers (Net run-rate: 0.482; points: 17) The remaining games are against LSG (Lucknow) and SRH (Lucknow).
The Punjab Kings (Net run-rate: 0.389; points: 17) The remaining matches are against MI (Jaipur) and DC (Jaipur).
With two games remaining, RCB and PBKS are tied for 17 points with little difference in net run rate.
Only one of RCB or PBKS can place in the top two if GT wins both of their games. Compared to PBKS, who play DC and MI, RCB appears to have the easier schedule, playing SRH and LSG.
RCB and PBKS could place in the top two if they win their next two games if GT wins one and loses one. If RCB and PBKS win one of their final two games, they could finish first and second if GT loses both.
RCB cannot place in the top two if they lose their final two games because GT is already ahead of them in points and one of PBKS or MI, who play each other, will pass them. In terms of points, GT is already ahead of PBKS, and if they lose their next two games, MI will pass them.
Conclusion
What a nail-biter! Mumbai Indians Playoff Qualification has MI in the IPL 2025 top-four, but snagging a top-two spot’s the real deal. GT’s eyeing No. 1, but RCB and PBKS are hungry. MI’s gotta outshine Punjab to climb higher. With Mumbai Indians Playoff Qualification locked, can they steal Qualifier 1? This playoff race is pure cinema, bring it on
