In IPL the team which one wins gets 2 points and if the match is abandoned for any reason or ends up a tie each team will get 1 point. For a lost game no number is given.
After all matches the four teams who have highest points will qualify for the playoffs.
Usually from 14 matches each team needed 16 points to make their strong chance to qualify for the final. It means the team should win 8 matches out of 14 matches to qualify.
If sometimes a team makes 14 points it can still qualify if another result goes their way as it depends on their Net Run Rate which means how the team has scored the runs and defended runs.
But for quality teams are required to make 16 or more points and if a team gets 18 or more points then it’s sure that team will qualify for playoffs.
Points System and Basics:
IPL 2025 Point Table :Top 5 Team
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 8 | 3 | +0.793 | 16 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 11 | 8 | 3 | +0.482 | 16 |
| 3 | Punjab Kings | 12 | 7 | 3 | +0.376 | 16 |
| 4 | Mumbai Indians | 12 | 7 | 5 | +1.156 | 14 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 11 | 6 | 4 | +0.362 | 14 |
The IPL point system is simple and vital for teams wishing to reach the finals. In IPL 2025, each team earns 2 points for a win in which 1 point for a no-result or tie match and 0 points for a loss in the match. After all league matches only the top four teams on the points table will qualify for the playoffs. If teams are tied on points, Net Run Rate (NRR) is used as a tiebreaker to decide rankings. NRR is calculated by comparing the average runs scored and conceded per over. Every win and run matters, making the points system vital for IPL success.
In the league stage each IPL team played 14 matches.
For a win, the team scores 2 points for a tie, 1 point and 0 points for loss.
The top four highest scorer teams at the end of season qualify for playoffs.
Playoff Structure:
The playoff structure is designed to reward the special top-performing teams who performed with excellence and Energy after the league stage. The top four teams qualify for the playoffs based on points and Net Run Rate (NRR). The first and second-ranked teams play Qualifier 1 and the winner goes straight to the final. The third and fourth teams face off in the Eliminations. The winner of the Eliminator will compete against the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 to get the second spot in the final. This format will be helpful for the top two teams with an extra chance to reach the final. This will make every league match crucial
Typical Points Cut-off for Qualification
Standard Cut-off:
Usually 8 wins and 16 points is considered a safe threshold to qualify for playoffs.
After getting 16 points a team almost makes it to the top four but in some seasons with the greatest performing teams 16 points may not guarantee qualification.
Possible Lower Cut-off:
Sometimes teams have qualified with 14 points especially if several teams are closely matched scores and net run rate (NRR) becomes the deciding factor.
However rarely teams can qualify with 12 points but this is only possible when no team is dominating and the league is strongly competitive.
2025 Scenario:
The IPL 2025 season is under intense competition to win the Battle with many teams fighting hard for a place in the playoffs. The projected cut-off for teams to qualify could be as high as 18 points that is making every match extremely important. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are currently leading the points table with 16 points from 11 matches in the tournament but their playoff spot is not yet secure because several other teams are in the race to perform well. Teams like Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans are also getting strong positions that are making the playoff battle challenging and unpredictable. Every team is trying in maximum effort to win their remaining games and increase their net run rate. As the league phase nears to its ending line, the pressure of the game is increasing and fans can expect thrilling matches.
Net Run Rate (NRR) and Tiebreakers:
When two teams are tied on same points the following rules are applied:
Most Wins: The team who won more matches is higher ranked than others.
Net Run Rate (NRR): In case wins are equal the team with the highest NRR is ranked higher.(NRR is defined as the difference between average runs conceded per over and average run scored per over)
And if the teams have equal NRR than the team who took more wickets will be ranked higher than the other team.
Summary:
16 points is usually enough to qualify.
14 points may be enough if the team has a good NRR and other results help.
18 points guarantees qualification
Read Also: IPL 2025 Winner Prediction
Conclusion:
In Short IPL teams should aim for at least 16 points to have the great chance of reaching the playoffs. If more than one team finishes with the same points, Net Run Rate (NRR) becomes very important and can decide who will move forward in the tournament. Only the best top four teams will qualify for the playoffs after the league stage on the basis of total points and tiebreakers like NRR. Every match and every single run is important in the IPL. Teams should be more actively focused on winning matches and also try to improve their NRR to secure a safe spot in the top four.
