After weeks of intense competition, rivalry battles, strategic gameplays and dedication, the top four teams of IPL 2025 have emerged. The league stage concluded with PBKS, RCB, GT and MI earning their place in top four of points table.
But how exactly did they manage to reach there? Let's dive into their IPL 2025 playoffs journey.
Here is how each team reached top four:
1. Punjab Kings (19 pts)

Throughout the season of IPL 2025, Punjab Kings showcased magnificent balance and team coordination. Their campaign has been brilliant with 9 wins in 14 matches.
Under the phenomenal captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, PBKS made an extraordinary comeback by qualifying for the playoffs after 11 years. Not only just qualification, but also dominantly secured the top position in the points table.
PBKS qualification was confirmed with a decisive victory by 10 runs over Rajasthan Royals on May 18. However, it was their dominant 7-wicket win over MI (on May 26), that sealed their top 2 finish.
Read Also: Highest individual scores by players in IPL playoffs
The IPL 2025 season for PBKS so far:
PBKS have done a great job at keeping their NRR high at all points in the tournament. They also secured a historical win against KKR by defending the lowest ever IPL total, and marked their place in the game.
Here's how their journey looked throughout the 14 league stage matches:
- vs GT: won by 11 runs. (PBKS 243/5 vs GT 232/5)
- vs LSG: won by 8 wickets. (LSG 171/7 vs PBKS 177/2)
- vs RR: lost by 50 runs. (RR 205/4 vs PBKS 155/9)
- vs CSK: won by 18 runs. (PBKS 219/6 vs CSK 201/5)
- vs SRH: lost by 8 wickets. (PBKS 245/6 vs SRH 247/2)
- vs KKR: won by 16 runs. (PBKS 111 vs KKR 95)
- vs RCB: won by 5 wickets. (RCB 95/9 in 14 ovs vs PBKS 98/5 in 12.1 ovs - rain-affected 14-over game)
- vs RCB: lost by 7 wickets. (PBKS 157/6 vs RCB 159/3)
- vs KKR: No Result (Rain)
- vs CSK: won by 4 wickets. (CSK 190 vs PBKS 194/6)
- vs LSG: won by 37 runs. (PBKS 236/5 vs LSG 199/7)
- vs RR: won by 10 runs. (PBKS 219/5 vs RR 209/7)
- vs DC: lost by 6 wickets. (PBKS 206/8 vs DC 208/4)
- vs MI: won by 7 wickets. (MI 184/7 vs PBKS 187/3)
Sealing a Q1 spot in style š¤
ā IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2025
Captain Shreyas Iyer adds the finishing flair as #PBKS defeat #MI in Jaipur ā¤
Scorecard ā¶ https://t.co/Dsw52HOtga#TATAIPL | #PBKSvMI | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/x93pqi4hxn
2. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (19 pts)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru had an amazing journey in their IPL 2025 campaign. They ended their nine-year wait for a top-two finish with 9 victories in 14 matches, narrowly behind PBKS on NRR.
RCB displayed remarkable consistency and key performances from players like Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, and others. The team no longer seemed to depend on a single player and came out strong with equal efforts from each one of them.
RCB faced major alterations and shift in captaincy in the tournament. Under the captaincy of Jitesh Sharma (stand-in captain in place of Rajat Patidar), they secured a huge victory against LSG to secure their top-two finish. They chased down 227 runs, with the skipper scoring 85* off 33 balls and leading from the front.
Read Also: Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL History
The IPL 2025 season for RCB so far:
RCB's season in the league stage ended with an historic achievement of being the first team in IPL history to win all the away matches. They won 7 away matches this year.
Here's how their journey looked throughout the 14 league stage matches:
- vs KKR: won by 7 wickets. (KKR 174/8, RCB
- vs CSK: won by 50 runs. (RCB 196/7, CSK 146/8)
- vs GT: lost by 8 wickets. (RCB 169/8, GT 170/2)
- vs MI: won by 12 runs. (RCB 221/5, MI 209/9)
- vs DC: lost by 6 wickets. (RCB 163/7, DC 169/4)
- vs RR: won by 9 wickets. (RR 173/4, RCB 175/1)
- vs PBKS: lost by 5 wickets. (RCB 95/9 in 14 ovs, PBKS 98/5 in 12.1 ovs - rain-affected)
- vs PBKS: won by 7 wickets. (PBKS 157/6, RCB 159/3)
- vs RR: won by 11 runs. (RCB 205/5, RR 194/9)
- vs DC: won by 6 wickets. (DC 162/8, RCB 165/4)
- vs CSK: won by 2 runs. (RCB 213/5, CSK 211/5)
- vs KKR: Match Abandoned (No Result)
- vs SRH: lost by 42 runs. (SRH 231/6, RCB 189)
- vs LSG: won by 6 wickets. (LSG 227/3, RCB 230/4)
They are pumped up & HOW š„³@RCBTweets enter the š 2ļøā£ with momentum led by their charismatic skipper Jitesh Sharma š„
ā IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 27, 2025
Scorecard ā¶ https://t.co/h5KnqyuYZE #TATAIPL | #LSGvRCB pic.twitter.com/N0YAz0f95u
3. Gujarat Titans (18 pts)

Gujarat Titans continued their strong presence by securing the 3rd place in IPL 2025 points table. They ended the league stage with 18 points (9 wins out of 14 matches).
The standout individual performances from captain Shubman Gill, and players like Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler are the reason behind GT's success. Sudharsan is currently at the top of Orange Cap leaderboard with 674 runs in 14 matches, followed by Gill (649 runs in 14 matches).
This team has also dominated other charts of seasonal awards like: Sudharshan in top of most 4s of the season list, Prasidh Krishna (23 wkts) in second place, and Sai Kishore (17 wkts) in Purple Cap leaderboard, and so on.
They were a strong contender for a top-two finish, but their consecutive losses in the last two league games took that away.
Read Also: Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season?
The IPL 2025 season for GT so far:
From chasing down 200+ totals to having the highest batting partnership of IPL 2025 so far (Gill & Sudharsan: 205* runs), GT has done it all!
Here's how their journey looked throughout the 14 league stage matches:
- vs PBKS: lost by 11 runs. (PBKS: 243/5, GT: 232/5)
- vs MI: won by 36 runs. (GT: 196/8, MI: 160/6)
- vs RCB: won by 8 wickets. (RCB: 169/8, GT: 170/2)
- vs SRH: won by 7 wickets. (SRH: 152/8, GT: 153/3)
- vs RR: won by 58 runs. (GT: 217/6, RR: 159)
- vs LSG: lost by 6 wickets. (GT: 180/6, LSG: 186/4)
- vs DC: won by 7 wickets. (DC: 203/8, GT: 204/3)
- vs KKR: won by 39 runs. (GT: 198/3, KKR: 159/8)
- vs RR: lost by 8 wickets. (GT: 209/4, RR: 212/2)
- vs SRH: won by 38 runs. (GT: 224/6, SRH: 186/6)
- vs MI: won by 3 wickets (D/L Method). (MI: 155/8, GT: 147/7)
- vs DC: won by 10 wickets. (DC: 199/3, GT: 205/0)
- vs LSG: lost by 33 runs. (LSG: 235/2, GT: 202/9)
- vs CSK: lost by 83 runs. (CSK: 230/5, GT: 147)
ššš-š šš© š¬šš©š š ššš š«”
ā IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 18, 2025
A stunning century in a dream season for #GT star Sai Sudharsan š
Updates ā¶ https://t.co/4flJtatmxc #TATAIPL | #DCvGT | @gujarat_titans | @sais_1509 pic.twitter.com/O0vzstT1gD
4. Mumbai Indians (16 pts)

The five-time champions, Mumbai Indians, secured the 4th position in points table with 16 points (8 wins in 14 matches). After losing 4 out of first 5 games in the tournament, they made a surprising comeback this season and won seven of their subsequent eight matches.
This was truly possible with some consistent performance of players like Surya Kumar Yadav, Trent Boult, and Jasprit Bumrah, who stood out for the team when needed.
Under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, MI bounced back quickly with a complete new energy and mindset. They outperformed all their competition and secured their playoffs berth.
Read Also: Teams to finish last in IPL Points Table
The IPL 2025 season for MI so far:
From having a disappointing start to becoming the comeback king of the season that every franchise feared, MI had a rollercoaster-like IPL 2025 season. They also have the best NRR (+1.142) among all the teams in points table.
Here's how their journey looked throughout the 14 league stage matches:
- vs CSK: lost by 4 wickets. (MI: 155/9, CSK: 158/6)
- vs GT: lost by 36 runs. (GT: 196/8, MI: 160/6)
- vs KKR: won by 8 wickets. (KKR: 116, MI: 121/2)
- vs LSG: lost by 12 runs. (LSG: 203/8, MI: 191/5)
- vs RCB: lost by 12 runs. (RCB: 221/5, MI: 209/9)
- vs DC: won by 12 runs. (DC: 193, MI: 205/5)
- vs SRH: won by 4 wickets. (SRH: 162/5, MI: 166/6)
- vs CSK: won by 9 wickets. (CSK: 176/5, MI: 177/1)
- vs SRH: won by 7 wickets. (SRH: 143/8, MI: 146/3)
- vs LSG: won by 54 runs. (MI: 215/7, LSG: 161)
- vs RR: won by 100 runs. (RR: 117, MI: 217/2)
- vs GT: lost by 3 wickets (D/L Method). (MI: 155/8, GT: 147/7)
- vs DC: won by 59 runs. (MI: 180/5, DC: 121)
- vs PBKS: lost by 7 wickets. (PBKS: 187/3, MI: 184/7)
Dominant victory ā
ā IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2025
Playoffs ā
A dream outing for #MI in their last match at Wankhede this season as they secure a 59-run win over #DC šš
Scorecard ā¶ https://t.co/fHZXoEJVed#TATAIPL | #MIvDC | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/mitYRgtqlZ
IPL 2025 Final Standings (Top 4)
Position | Teams | Matches Played | Won | Lost | NRR |
1 | Punjab Kings | 14 | 9 | 4 | +0.372 |
2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 14 | 9 | 4 | +0.301 |
3 | Gujarat Titans | 14 | 9 | 5 | +0.254 |
4 | Mumbai Indians | 14 | 8 | 6 | +1.142 |
Read Also: Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet: Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025
IPL 2025 Playoffs Schedule:
The IPL 2025 playoffs is set to begin from May 29, 2025.
Qualifier 1 (May 29)
PBKS vs RCB (venue: MYSI Stadium, Mullanpur): The winning team will advance to the final. Losing team will play Qualifier 2.
Eliminator (May 30)
GT vs MI (venue: MYSI Stadium, Mullanpur): The winning team will advance to play Qualifier 2. Losing side will be eliminated from the competition.
Read Also: IPL Playoffs: Teams with most IPL Eliminator defeats
Qualifier 2 (June 1)
Qualifier 1 loser vs Eliminator winner (venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad): The winning team will advance to Final. Losing side will be eliminated.
Final (June 3)
Qualifier 1 winner vs Qualifier 2 winner (venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad)