IPL 2025 Playoff race intensifies as Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings book their spots; Delhi Capitals, MI and LSG now fight for the final place
New Delhi, May 19: The IPL 2025 playoff picture got a major shake-up on Sunday as Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured their berths in the final four with commanding victories in a high-stakes double-header.
At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Shubman Gill (93) and Sai Sudharsan (108)** delivered a record-breaking 205-run opening stand to guide GT to a thumping 10-wicket win over Delhi Capitals. Chasing 200, the duo made light work of the target, finishing the match with an over to spare. Sudharsan’s century — his maiden IPL ton — catapulted him to the top of the Orange Cap table with 617 runs in 12 innings.
Earlier, KL Rahul’s unbeaten 112 off 65 balls gave DC a solid platform, taking them to 199/3. He was well-supported by Abishek Porel (30), Axar Patel (25), and Tristan Stubbs (21*). But DC’s bowlers failed to contain Gujarat’s charge. With this defeat, DC slipped to fifth place with 13 points from 12 matches, and now face a must-win scenario in their remaining fixtures.
Meanwhile, in Jaipur, Punjab Kings overcame Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs in a tense finish. After slumping to 34/3, PBKS mounted a strong comeback with half-centuries from Nehal Wadhera (70 off 37) and Shashank Singh (59 off 30)**. A late cameo from Azmatullah Omarzai (21 in 3 balls) pushed PBKS to 219/5.
In response, Yashasvi Jaiswal (50) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40) gave RR a flying start, adding 76 runs in under five overs. But Punjab’s bowlers, led by Harpreet Brar (3/22) and supported by Marco Jansen (2/41) and Omarzai (2/44), pulled things back to restrict RR to 209/7.
PBKS now sit third on the table with 17 points (8 wins, 3 losses, 1 NR) and have two more league matches remaining — against Delhi Capitals (May 24) and Mumbai Indians (May 26).
With GT (18 points) leading the standings and RCB (17 points) in second, the battle for the final playoff spot intensifies. Mumbai Indians (14 points) and Lucknow Super Giants (10 points) remain in the race, but every match is now a virtual knockout for them.
Remaining Key Fixtures:
- GT vs LSG (May 22) & CSK (May 25)
- RCB vs SRH (May 23) & LSG (May 27)
- PBKS vs DC (May 24) & MI (May 26)
- DC vs MI (May 21) & PBKS (May 24)
As the league enters its final week, playoff permutations are wide open, promising a thrilling finish to the group stage of IPL 2025.