IPL 2025 playoffs: Can Punjab Kings finish outside the top two? All scenarios explained
The Punjab Kings will play the first of their final two fixtures today when they face the Delhi Capitals in Match 66 of the Indian Premier League.
Ahead of their DC clash at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium, they moved up a spot in the IPL 2025 standings after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru crashed to a 43-run defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.
Thanks to a better net run rate, PBKS are sitting in second with 17 points from 12 matches.
PBKS will round off the league stage with a game against the Mumbai Indians on May 26, Monday.
This is how the top four of the IPL 2025 table is poised ahead of today's match between PBKS and DC.
Team Matches Played NRR Points Gujarat Titans 13 +0.602 18 Punjab Kings 12 +0.389 17 Royal Challengers Bengaluru 13 +0.255 17 Mumbai Indians 13 +1.292 16
These are the final fixtures for the top four teams in the league stage of IPL 2025.
Fixtures Venue Date (Day) Time Punjab Kings vs. Delhi Capitals Jaipur May 24 (Saturday) 7:30 pm Gujarat Titans vs. Chennai Super Kings Ahmedabad May 25 (Sunday) 3:30 pm Punjab Kings vs. Mumbai Indians Jaipur May 26 (Monday) 7:30 pm Lucknow Super Giants vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Lucknow May 27 (Tuesday) 7:30 pm
Ahead of today's game, we take a look at the different scenarios for PBKS as they march on in their quest to finish top two in the standings.
Two wins for PBKS in their final two fixtures will see the Punjab side finish top of the table with 21 points to their name.
This is because GT can amass a maximum of 20 points while RCB will go to 19 with a win against the Lucknow Super Giants.
MI will finish fourth with 16 points.
Things get complicated if PBKS win only one of their remaining two matches, which will see them finish the league stage on 19 points.
In this scenario, both PBKS and RCB will occupy the top two spots with 19 points on the board and play the Qualifier 1 match.
GT will be relegated to either third or fourth, depending on MI's result in their final fixture against PBKS.
The Gujarat side will occupy the top spot with 20 points, leaving both RCB and PBKS fighting for the second position with 19 points each.
The team with the better NRR will finish second and play Qualifier 1 while the other side will play the do-or-die Eliminator.
This will see PBKS comfortably sit in the top two positions. If GT also lose their final fixture, the Punjab side could end up top of the table. Else, they will be happy to settle for second.
PBKS will end the league stage with 17 points if they lose against DC and MI, which will see the Punjab side finish outside the top two positions.
This is because GT already have 18 points, with one game still to go, while MI will end the league stage with 18 points, after beating PBKS in their final fixture.
The above scenarios have taken into account that all of the remaining fixtures will produce a result.
Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
Virender Sehwag Backs This Side To Win IPL 2025. Then Says "Team I Support Loses"
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings - the IPL 2025 final will see a new team as champions. Both teams have been competing in the IPL since 2008. This is RCB's fourth final after 2009, 2011 and 2016, while PBKS are in their second IPL title clash after 2014. But, the trophy always eluded both. Whoever wins this time, it will be the end of a long wait. Ahead of the match, former Punjab Kings captain Virender Sehwag predicted the likely winner of the IPL 2025. His answer was full of humour. "I think RCB will win. I have gone back to my old form because I have seen the team I support tend to lose, be it GT in the match against MI or Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 against RCB. Today, I supported MI vs PBKS in qualifier 2; they lost their matches," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. Host Gaurav Kapoor then asked: "I asked who do you think will. Now, I am asking you, who are you supporting?" Sehwag once again said, "RCB". "This is also the case with the Indian team. When I openly supported them, they went on to lose that match," he added. If RCB indeed win the IPL 2025, it will be an extra special occasion for Virat Kohli. The star India batter has given 18 years of his senior cricket career to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and their first-time skipper Rajat Patidar understands what it would mean for the team to win the coveted Indian Premier League title for one of country's bonafide cricket legends. In all, RCB have played a total of three finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 and have ended up on the losing side in each of the summit clashes with Kohli's individual brilliance not being enough for them to end their title drought. 'Of course. I think he has given a lot of years to RCB and the international side also. We will try to do our best in the game,' Patidar said on Monday during his pre-match press conference alongside PBKS' Shreyas Iyer when asked if the Kohli factor would dominate the build-up. When asked if focus on one player alone was frustrating given RCB have been one of the most dominant sides in this competition, Patidar replied, 'I think it is not frustrating for me.. 'We are not looking on the stage that we are in the finals. We will try to play our best cricket. We are not playing here for the stage. I always like to keep things simple,' he added. The Kohli factor has certainly weighed heavily on RCB drawing strong crowd support even while playing away from home and Patidar said that gives them feeling of being on their home ground. 'Wherever we go, we feel that the crowd is a home ground for us and (given ) the way they are showing support and love from the (last many) years,' he said.
NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
Telling Jasprit Bumrah What To Do?: Harbhajan Singh Slams Lasith Malinga For Breaking Players' Spirits
In a dramatic turn of events during IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, Mumbai Indians' defeat to Punjab Kings sparked more than just on-field analysis. The five-time champions were knocked out after Punjab chased down a mammoth 204-run target with 7 wickets in hand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While Shreyas Iyer 's unbeaten 87 stole the show, former MI star Harbhajan Singh pointed fingers at Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga for their excessive involvement from the dugout, claiming it broke the team's spirit and interfered with the players' execution. Harbhajan, speaking on his YouTube channel, didn't mince words. He strongly criticised head coach Jayawardene and bowling coach Malinga for over-instructing during the crunch moments of the match, particularly when MI bowlers were leaking runs. 'Look at the Mumbai Indians dugout. When they were leaking runs, there was way too much involvement from the outside. Coaches are telling a bowler like Bumrah what to do and what not. A dressing room needs to remain calm and composed. Coaches should only give advice. Don't show desperation. So somewhere I felt that when this happens way too much, it breaks their spirit,' Harbhajan said. The former India spinner, who was part of several MI triumphs, felt the continuous hand gestures and coaching instructions were not just excessive, but also unnecessary, especially when directed at seasoned campaigners like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah. In fact, a moment from MI's Eliminator against Gujarat Titans had already gone viral, where Jayawardene was seen animatedly instructing Bumrah from the dugout. Bumrah appeared visibly annoyed and signalled him to calm down, highlighting the brewing tension between the dugout and the players on the field. 'Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya – these are big players. And when they are playing, let them do what they need to do to get the right result for the team. They have won many trophies together. They needed to be shown a lot more faith, but the coaching staff time and again was interfering and gesturing with their hands,' Harbhajan added. He insisted that coaches should show faith in experienced players and let them take charge during high-pressure situations. 'It's not always about micromanagement. Sometimes, it's just about trusting your men to deliver,' Harbhajan said. Despite their exit in Qualifier 2, Mumbai Indians can walk away with their heads held high. Coming off a last-place finish in IPL 2024, and under heavy scrutiny after appointing Hardik Pandya as captain, MI had a dismal start this season too – losing five of their first six games. Punjab Kings capitalised, with Shreyas Iyer anchoring the chase, to book their place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru – ensuring IPL 2025 will have a new champion. Listen to the latest songs, only on
NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
'Game Is Done For Punjab Kings If...': Yograj Singh's Massive Warning Ahead Of IPL 2025 Final
Former India cricketer Yograj Singh believes Punjab Kings can lift their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy by staging Royal Challengers Bengaluru's downfall in the final of the 18th season in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The pulsating contest in the world's biggest cricket stadium is expected to deliver a spectacle unlike the Qualifier 1 contest, which was one-way traffic in Bengaluru's favour. Yograj, who believes Punjab can pip RCB, emphasised the importance of franchise stalwart Virat Kohli's wicket, which could dictate the title's fate. "If Punjab doesn't get Virat out, then they are in trouble. If he doesn't get out, then he can chase 250 or 300. I believe Punjab can win. The game is done if Virat doesn't get out in the first 10 overs. My senses say Punjab will win," Yograj told ANI. Virat's sublime form has been fundamental to Bengaluru's success, considering runs have flown briskly from his bat. He is the fifth-highest run-getter, with 614 runs under his belt at 55.82, striking at 146.53, steering RCB to its first final in nine years. The 36-year-old has represented Bengaluru in three IPL (2009, 2011, 2016) finals and registered figures of 7,11 and 54. Yograj identified the Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, who holds the potential to take the game away from Bengaluru just like Virat. Shreyas has added the firepower to Punjab's batting lineup. With 39 sixes to his name, Shreyas has displayed his exquisite timing and brute force. Only Lucknow Super Giants power-hitter Nicholas Pooran (4) has tallied more than Shreyas in the ongoing season. "Punjab has a wonderful captain. He is an amazing player. The game will be between Punjab's captain and Virat Kohli. If RCB has Virat, Punjab has Shreyas Iyer. Punjab should win. If Virat can win RCB a game from any position, Shreyas can do it as well," he added. Shreyas has appeared in two IPL finals and has stayed unbeaten on both occasions, with 65* for Delhi Capitals against Mumbai Indians in 2020 and 6* against Sunrisers Hyderabad last year. Listen to the latest songs, only on
