IPL 2025: Which Four Teams Are Likely To Make the Playoffs?

It has been a fascinating 18th edition of the Indian Premier League. The biggest talking point of the season has been the dominance of the perennial underachievers and the poor performance of most of the powerhouses. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings - who don't have even one IPL title between them - have set the stage on fire and been in the top cluster since the start of the tournament. Meanwhile, five-time winners - Chennai Super Kings, three-time champions - Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals - who have lifted the trophy on one occasion each - have been below par and struggled to build any sort of momentum in their campaign this season. And then there is Mumbai Indians - who had a disastrous start and looked down and out before staging one of the most remarkable turnarounds in IPL history!

So, who are the favourites to make the playoffs? Will RCB finish on pole position? Is DC in a spot of bother? Can MI spoil PBKS' party and storm into the last four? We explore.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had a breakthrough year and are currently in pole position with seven wins from 10 encounters. They have built some momentum winning their last three matches and look good to make the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. RCB have been very aggressive in the death overs (run-rate of 11.7) and also very restrictive with the ball through the competition (best economy rate of 8.8 in IPL 2025).

Virat Kohli has been their playmaker with the bat and is the leading run-getter of the season with 443 runs at a strike rate of 139. He has been very consistent registering six fifties in 10 innings. Josh Hazlewood has been brilliant