Which team has the best chance of winning IPL 2025 Fair Play Award?

Business Standard

22-05-2025

In a tournament often defined by high-octane finishes, nail-biting chases, and fierce rivalries, the IPL Fair Play Award stands out as a symbol of cricket's core values—discipline, respect, and sportsmanship. As IPL 2025 nears its climax, attention is not only on the playoff race but also on which team will walk away with this prestigious honour. At the top of the current fair play table are the Punjab Kings, who have quietly but consistently upheld the spirit of the game throughout the season. With 124 points from 12 matches and a league-best average of 10.33, they've set the gold standard for conduct on the field. Close behind are seasoned campaigners like Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are still in the hunt thanks to their composed leadership and respectful gameplay.
Meanwhile, IPL 2025 points table leaders Gujarat Titans, sitting at the bottom with an average of 8.83, have the least chance of bagging the Fair Play honour. Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Lucknow Super Giants are also lagging, with averages below 9.3—suggesting that their high-intensity game plans may have occasionally impacted their fair play scores.
POS Team Matches Average Points
1 Punjab Kings 12 10.33 124
2 Chennai Super Kings 13 10.23 133
3 Sunrisers Hyderabad 12 9.92 119
4 Mumbai Indians 13 9.85 128
5 Rajasthan Royals 14 9.79 137
6 Delhi Capitals 13 9.77 127
7 Lucknow Super Giants 12 9.25 111
8 Royal Challengers Bengaluru 12 9.17 110
9 Kolkata Knight Riders 13 8.92 116
10 Gujarat Titans 12 8.83 106
How the IPL Fair Play Award is decided
The IPL Fair Play Award is given annually to the team that adheres best to the spirit of the game throughout the tournament. This award is not based on match results but rather on the conduct of the team, including its players and support staff, during each match. Umpires are the sole judges of fair play points and award them based on a fixed set of criteria after every game.
Points system
Each team can earn a maximum of 10 points per match. These points are divided as follows:
4 points for playing in the spirit of the game
2 points for showing respect to the opposition
2 points for respecting the laws of the game
2 points for showing respect towards the umpires
If a team only partially meets a criterion, they may receive 1 point instead of 2, and in case of poor conduct, they may get 0 for that section.
Average system explained
Since not all teams play the same number of matches at the same time in the league phase, the average points system is used to rank teams fairly. The average is calculated using this formula:
Fair Play Average = Total Fair Play Points / Number of Matches Played
This ensures that a team is not unfairly advantaged or penalised simply because it has played more or fewer matches than others at any point in the tournament.
Final consideration
At the end of the league stage (and playoffs), the team with the highest average fair play points wins the Fair Play Award. In case of a tie, overall conduct and qualitative assessment may be considered, but usually, the average system suffices to determine the winner.
This award is a reflection of a team's sportsmanship and discipline and is seen as a prestigious honour, regardless of the team's position on the points table.