IPL 2025 Play-offs: What Each Team Needs For Top Four Finish - Qualification Scenarios After KKR's Loss To CSK

Things are heating up in the Indian Premier League 2025 points table with the race to play-off now almost in its final lap. Six teams have three matches remaining while four teams have just two and yet not one team has sealed a top four spot even though the qualification hopes of three sides are over. (Full Coverage | Points Table | More Cricket News)

Kolkata Knight Riders' loss to Chennai Super Kings has further impacted the standings and the play-off qualification chances of not just KKR but the other teams involved as well. Here is an updated guide to what each team needs to do in order to seal qualification for the IPL 2025 Play-offs.

KKR Play-off Qualification Scenario

The loss to CSK leaves the defending champions with just 11 points in 12 matches. Even beating SRH and RCB in their remaining two games will at most take KKR to 15 points, which does not seem to be enough to finish in top four. If a lot of other results go their way, KKR's hopes would still remain alive. At this point, it is safe to say that KKR's title defence is over and even two wins in last two matches would not help them qualify.

DC Play-off Qualification Scenario

With 13 points in 11 matches, DC are at fifth spot and aim for one final push towards the top four. They got lucky with a point in their last encounter against SRH where they just scored 133 before rain washed out the chase. They also got lucky KKR's loss to CSK. Now, they would need skill more than luck.

DC face PBKS in Dharamsala and a win will be vital to their chances of play-offs qualification. A loss to PBKS later tonight would make the next two game, against GT and then MI, knock-out matches for DC.

MI Play-off Qualification Scenario

MI's rise was thwarted by GT in their last encounter and now the Hardik Pandya-led side has 14 points in 12 games. Their top two hopes are almost over but they can still claim the third or fourth spot. They play PBKS and DC next and one win might not be enough. Beating both PBKS and DC will be a sureshot way of sealing a top four spot. However, a loss against any one of these teams could prove to fatal for MI's hopes. They can still qualify but would need some help from other teams.

PBKS Play-off Qualification Scenario

With 15 points in 11 outings, Punjab Kings need one final push to get into their first play-offs since 2014. Third in the standings, PBKS face DC tonight and then MI before finishing campaign against RR. A win against any one of DC or MI will help them seal a play-off spot. However, lose both and that makes their match against RR a do-or-die fixture for the Shreyas Iyer-led.

They are also in contention for top two finish but a loss to any one of DC or MI could end those dreams.

RCB and GT Play-off Qualification Scenario

Both RCB and GT have 16 points in 11 games and even though mathematically they have still not sealed a play-off berth, the two sides would be quite confident of finishing in top four. In fact, both sides can easily finish in top two. No one can stop RCB and GT from finishing in top two if they win all their remaining three games. In fact, if PBKS lose one more game, a top two finish for both these teams will be fixed even if they lose a match each.

However, if any of these teams lose two out of three, the top two hopes will be in jeopardy and three straight losses could see them slip out of the top four as well if some other results also do not go their way.

LSG Play-off Qualification Scenario

Lucknow Super Giants have 10 points in 11 games and they would need to win all three of their remaining games to stay alive in this competition. One more loss would end their play-off hopes and even with three wins they will have to rely on other results going their way. Things look even tougher as their next two fixtures are against RCB and GT, the top two sides.