How Can RCB Dethrone PBKS To Finish At The Top Of IPL 2025 Points Table?

Rajgeeta Yadav

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings [Source: AP Photos]Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings [Source: AP Photos]

The IPL 2025 season is heading into its final week, with only five matches remaining. Four teams have already sealed their spots in the playoffs: Punjab Kings (PBKS), Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Mumbai Indians (MI). Now, the focus shifts to who will finish in the top two, an important advantage in the race to the final.

RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, will play their last league match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.

RCB currently sit at 17 points from 13 games with a net run rate (NRR) of 0.255. PBKS leads the table with a better NRR of 0.372. While RCB is already in the playoffs, they have a clear goal in mind: finishing in the top two or even at number one. But the question is: how can they finish at the top of the points table? To find out, let’s dive into the article.

How Can RCB Finish At The Top?

The equation is simple. If RCB win against LSG, they will secure one of the top two positions. This means they’ll play in Qualifier 1, giving them two chances to reach the final.

To go a step further and finish at number one, RCB needs more than just a win, they need a big win to surpass PBKS’s net run rate. Here are the scenarios:

  • If RCB scores 200 runs, they must beat LSG by at least 34 runs.
  • If they concede 200 runs, they need to chase the target with 21 balls (3.3 overs) to spare.

However, If RCB loses the match, they will remain third in the points table. That would set them up to face Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator on May 30 in Mullanpur. In the Eliminator, the loser gets knocked out, while the winner moves on to Qualifier 2.