Chennai Super Kings' hopes of qualifying for the IPL 2025 playoffs have taken a serious hit after suffering their sixth defeat of the season on Sunday against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. With only two wins from eight matches, the five-time champions currently sit at the bottom of the points table. Their latest loss came in a one-sided contest where Mumbai chased down 177 runs in just 15.4 overs for the loss of one wicket.
Despite the tough road ahead, Chennai are still mathematically in contention for a playoff spot. The MS Dhoni-led side can reach a maximum of 16 points if they win all of their remaining six league matches. However, five teams have already reached the 10-point mark and have several matches left to play. This means that even 16 points may not guarantee CSK a place in the top four. The team’s qualification now depends not only on their own results but also on how other matches unfold in the remaining rounds.
To stay in the race, CSK must first win all six of their upcoming matches. If they finish on 16 points and the mid-table becomes tightly contested, their net run rate could play a decisive role in breaking ties on the points table.
CSK’s Remaining Matches:
April 25 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
April 30 vs Punjab Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
May 3 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
May 7 vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
May 12 vs Rajasthan Royals at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
May 18 vs Gujarat Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Winning all six matches will be a must for CSK to stay in the playoff race. They will also need favourable results in other matches to boost their chances.