IPL 2025 CSK qualification scenario: Can CSK Make the Playoffs?

Chennai Super Kings are still stuck at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table after another tough loss, this time to the Mumbai Indians. On Sunday (April 20), CSK struggled once again and were outplayed, making their situation even worse in the tournament.

CSK stands bottom of the points table. Eight games in, their net run rate is the lowest (-1.392) amongst the other nine franchises. CSK have qualified for the playoffs 12 times in their 16-season history. Below are the basic requirements for teams to ensure playoff qualification, CSK's remaining matches, and possible pathways through which CSK can still make it into the top four of the league.

CSK's Remaining Matches in IPL 2025

CSK Playoff Qualification Scenario

MS Dhoni and his team are going through a rough patch. They’ve lost 6 out of their first 8 matches, so things are not looking good. But they’re not out of the race yet. If they want to make it to the playoffs, they have to win all their remaining games. From now on, every match is like a do-or-die for them. They really need to pull up their socks and give it everything they've got.

CSK Win All Remaining Matches (Reach 16 Points): This is CSK's best-case scenario. Winning all six games would take them to 16 points - a benchmark that has historically been good enough for playoff qualification. However, their abysmal NRR means that these wins must be emphatic. Narrow victories might not be enough if multiple teams end on 16 points.

CSK Win Five Matches (End on 14 Points): This path keeps them in contention but places their fate in the hands of other results. Even if CSK wins five of the remaining six matches, 14 points may or may not be sufficient depending on how other mid-table teams perform. Their NRR, unless drastically improved, could prove to be the stumbling block in a tie-breaker scenario. If CSK loses any more than one of their remaining six matches, their playoff chances are virtually zero.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025 Points Table: Updated Team Ranking, Standings, and Net Run Rate After MI vs CSK Match