IPL 2025: How Can Delhi Capitals & Mumbai Indians Qualify For The Playoffs?

With the race to the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) getting heated up with every passing day, the spotlight is on the remaining 3 teams in the reckoning – Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Gujarat Titans (GT) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have already qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs. There is one remaining spot in the playoffs and there are 3 teams, vying for it.

While the equation is a little tough for Lucknow, Delhi and Mumbai have their fate in their own hands. They don’t need to depend on other teams’ results and can pave the way to the IPL 2025 playoffs with their own hard work.

How can Delhi Capitals Qualify?

After suffering a heavy 10-wicket loss at the hands of Gujarat Titans (GT) on 18^th May 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Axar Patel and co. now have to treat their remaining 2 fixtures as do-or-die encounters.

Delhi need to register 2 victories in 2 games in order to cement their place in the IPL 2025 playoffs. Their next match is against Mumbai Indians (MI) on 21^st May 2025 and they need to win that game.

Post that, they face Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings on 24^th May 2025 and that is also a must-win game for them.

If they win against Mumbai but they lose against Punjab, then they need to depend on Mumbai Indians for their qualification.

How can Mumbai Indians Qualify?

Mumbai Indians are at a slightly better position than Delhi Capitals in the race for the IPL 2025 Playoffs. Hardik Pandya and co. need to win 1 out of their 2 remaining matches in order to be at a commanding position.

They are presently sitting with 14 points and a win would take them to 16 points and that would ensure their qualification to some extent. If they beat Delhi Capitals, then they have an edge.

If they win 2 wins out of 2, then they automatically qualify for the playoffs. If Lucknow win all their 3 remaining matches, then they would be tied at 16 points with Mumbai Indians (if Mumbai lose one game). This is where the Net Run-Rate (NRR) will come into the picture.