Well, here’s the thing—IPL 2025 has reached its 18th edition, and the league stage is almost wrapping up. You’d think by now at least one team would’ve punched their ticket to the playoffs, right? But surprisingly, not a single team has officially qualified yet.
As of now, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad are already out of the race. That leaves seven teams still fighting tooth and nail for just four precious spots in the playoffs.
At the top of the table sit Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), followed closely by Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans. But here’s where things get spicy—there’s a twist flying around social media, and, well, if this twist actually plays out the way some people are predicting, even RCB could be kicked out of the playoffs!
Let’s break it down.
RCB has played 11 matches so far this season. They’ve won 8, lost 3, and currently sit on 16 points with a healthy net run rate of +0.482. On the surface, they seem safe. But IPL is known for its wild finishes, and this season is no exception.
Now, imagine this:
- Mumbai Indians win all of their next three games (vs Gujarat, Punjab, and Delhi). That gives them 20 points and a direct pass into the playoffs. Even if they lose just one (say, to Punjab), they’d still land on 18 points, which could be enough.
- Punjab Kings, if they beat both Mumbai and Rajasthan, would end up with 19 points. That’s a guaranteed playoff spot right there.
- Gujarat Titans could also make it to 18 points if they win against Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings.
- And don’t forget about Kolkata Knight Riders. If they win all three of their remaining matches—against CSK, SRH, and RCB—they’d reach 17 points and be in serious contention, depending on the net run rate.
Now, here’s where things get scary for RCB fans.
Let’s say RCB has a complete off week and loses all three of their remaining matches—against Lucknow, SRH, and KKR. That would leave them stranded at 16 points. And if the other teams manage to win as outlined above, RCB could genuinely miss the playoffs, despite dominating the first half of the season.
Sounds crazy, right? But well, that’s the unpredictable charm of the IPL.
So what does this mean for RCB?
It’s simple: the next three matches are make-or-break. Even if they manage to win just one of those, they’ll most likely qualify for the playoffs. But if they want to lock in a Top 2 finish, which gives them a second chance via the Qualifier, then they’ve got to go all in and win all three.