IPL 2025 playoff race: Who will secure the final four spots?

Dubai: The numbers say eight teams are in the hunt. Reality says only a few truly are. As IPL 2025 charges towards its home stretch, Gulf News takes a closer look at the contenders — the heavyweights flexing their muscles, the dark horses hoping for a late surge, and the squads running out of steam when it matters most.

Just two more points from their remaining four matches could all but seal Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s spot in the playoffs. Chasing their maiden title, Bengaluru are hoping that Virat Kohli’s magic No 18 brings them the luck to lift the trophy in Season 18.

By topping the table and winning six away matches in a row, Bengaluru have put themselves firmly in the lead. Their dominant win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday showed the strength of an all-round unit that had been missing in previous years — when the team often revolved around a few superstars and crumbled when they failed.

This season, several players have stepped up, with Kohli as the lynchpin and Josh Hazlewood leading the bowling attack. Both are topping the Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings respectively, underlining Bengaluru’s impressive consistency.

The 2022 champions have made a habit of troubling opponents, and their strength lies in their opening partnership. Sai Sudharsan, among the top run-scorers, has been key in providing strong starts alongside skipper Shubman Gill, who brings stability at the top.

Jos Buttler’s return to form has added another dimension, and the top three are capable of taking the game away from any rival. Gujarat’s varied bowling attack gives Gill plenty of options to adapt mid-game.

Another boost is Prasidh Krishna’s good rhythm — he is among the top wicket-takers — while Rashid Khan, yet to hit top form, could become a major threat on weary pitches towards the business end of the tournament.

The five-time champions look the most dangerous side heading into the final stages. Their power-packed batting line-up is matched by a potent bowling unit featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, keeping opponents under pressure throughout.

With Bumrah back among the wickets and Mumbai’s wealth of big-match experience, they will be a force in the crunch games.

The Mumbai Indians also have a happy headache: bowlers like Mitchell Santner, Vignesh Puthur and Ashwani Kumar are struggling to break into the playing XI. With such depth, the winning momentum and confidence from five consecutive victories make Mumbai prime candidates to clinch a record-extending sixth title.

The race for the fourth spot will be tight, but Delhi Capitals are well placed to pull through. Punjab Kings (11 points from nine matches) might rue the abandoned match against Kolkata Knight Riders, which could come back to haunt them.

Punjab’s inexperience could also hurt them in the final stretch, compounded by the poor form of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai, leaving gaping holes in the line-up. The one bright spot for Punjab remains Yuzvendra Chahal, the IPL’s highest wicket-taker.

Meanwhile, Delhi boast a stronger core in both batting and bowling. KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis are leading the way with the bat, while Kuldeep Yadav has emerged as a trump card with the ball, and Mitchell Starc has already won them two matches with his deadly yorkers.