Reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have crashed out of the playoffs race in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after their game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was washed out due to rain. Not a single ball was bowled in the first game following the resumption of IPL 2025, as heavy and persistent rain kept the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium under covers throughout Saturday evening. As a result, both RCB and KKR get one point each. This means that KKR can reach a maximum of 14 points, which won't be enough to secure them a playoffs spot.
With fourth-placed Mumbai Indians (MI) and fifth-placed Delhi Capitals (DC) facing each other later in the season, it ensures that at least one of those two teams will definitely finish above KKR.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, edge closer to a playoffs spot. The no result takes RCB to 17 points and provisionally on top of the IPL 2025 table. However, a mathematical miracle could still see them eliminated.
If RCB lose their remaining two matches, DC win two matches, PBKS win one and MI win both, it would leave three teams on 17 points, and qualification would come down to net-run-rate.
KKR have endured a disappointing season. After romping to a dominant title win in 2024, the men in purple lost three crucial cogs at the mega auction, in the form of captain Shreyas Iyer, pacer Mitchell Starc and opener Phil Salt. KKR have suffered from inconsistency throughout the season. They lost five of their first eight matches under new captain Ajinkya Rahane.
An abandoned home match against Punjab Kings dealt a huge blow to KKR earlier in the season, and now it is yet another abandoned match that has seen them get knocked out.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings are also one win away from securing qualification to the playoffs, while Mumbai Indians need two wins to definitely ensure progression.