IPL 2025 Playoff Scenario: Rain Could End KKR's Campaign? Details Inside
The 58th match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will be played between Royal Challengers Bangalore and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, May 17 at 7:30 PM at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
RCB currently sits at second place on the points table and will be eyeing a playoff spot with a win. Meanwhile, KKR, currently in sixth place, desperately needs a win to stay in the race - but weather could ruin their plans.
Rain could seal KKR's fate
Heavy rain lashed Bengaluru on Thursday, and according to the latest weather forecasts, showers are expected on match day (Saturday) as well.
If tomorrow's KKR vs RCB IPL game is abandoned due to rain, both teams will share a point each. While RCB will secure playoff qualification with that point, it could spell the end of the road for KKR.
So far, Kolkata has played 12 out of 14 league stage matches this season, winning 5, losing 6, and one game washed out. They currently have 13 points with two league stage matches (vs KKR on May 17 and vs SRH on May 25) remaining.
If KKR's match against RCB is washed out tomorrow - a shared point from a washed-out match would take them to 14 - a total unlikely to be enough for a top-four finish. For KKR to keep their playoff hopes alive, they then must win their final league stage match against Hyderabad to get to 16 points. Back-to-back wins against RCB and SRH is the only hope for Kolkata.
Generally, a team needs to accumulate at least 16 points in the IPL league stage to secure a spot in the playoffs.
If Kolkata Knight Riders manage to defeat Royal Challengers Bangalore tonight, they will earn 2 crucial points and move up to 15 points on the table. However, to truly solidify their chances of making it to the playoffs, KKR must win both of their remaining matches - against Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad - and finish the league stage with 17 points.
IPL resumes after a week's break
IPL 2025 had been paused for a week due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The tournament is now set to resume from May 17, starting with RCB vs KKR match.
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