Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings' (PBKS) aspirations for a top-two finish in the IPL 2025 playoffs suffered a significant setback following their defeat to Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 24. This loss has considerably diminished their chances, meaning they must now win their final match against Mumbai Indians (MI) and depend on favorable outcomes from other fixtures to secure a strong position in the points table.
Currently, PBKS stand at 17 points from 13 matches, with one game remaining against Mumbai Indians on May 26. Their recent defeat to the Delhi Capitals has placed them in a precarious position in the race for the top two spots. They are now relying on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to lose their match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in addition to securing a victory in their own final game against MI.
Despite the recent loss, PBKS still have a path to a top-two finish, though it hinges on winning their last fixture against MI. A victory over MI would elevate PBKS to 19 points, keeping their top-two hopes alive. However, they would also need RCB to drop points in their final match against LSG. While RCB's current Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.255 is lower than PBKS's, it could become a crucial factor if both teams finish on the same points. A substantial win for RCB against LSG could potentially allow them to surpass PBKS for a top-two finish. Therefore, PBKS will be hoping that RCB either loses their match or wins by a narrow margin, while simultaneously securing a decisive victory against MI.
PBKS now face a must-win situation in their final match against Hardik Pandya's Mumbai Indians, as their recent loss to the DC has impacted their hopes for a top-two finish in IPL 2025. While they had initially aimed to secure a top-two spot with at least one victory, their current standing at 17 points means their fate largely hinges on Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) performance. Consequently, PBKS's probability of securing a top-two position has slightly decreased, and they now require several other results to go their way.
This is how the IPL 2025 points table looks like after PBKS vs DC clash:
| Teams | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gujarat Titans (Q) | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 | +0.602 |
| Punjab Kings (Q) | 13 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 17 | +0.327 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Q) | 13 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 17 | +0.255 |
| Mumbai Indians (Q) | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | +1.292 |
| Delhi Capitals (E) | 14 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 13 | +0.011 |
| Lucknow Super Giants (E) | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 12 | -0.337 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (E) | 13 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | +0.193 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad (E) | 13 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 11 | -1.740 |
| Rajasthan Royals (E) | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.549 |
| Chennai Super Kings (E) | 13 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -1.030 |