RCB suffered a setback with a disappointing loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2025 on Friday, denting their top-two finish hopes.
RCB’s Playoff Hopes Hang in Balance After Costly Defeat to SRH
Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered a 42-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday in Lucknow, tightening the IPL 2025 playoff race. The match, shifted from Bengaluru to the Ekana Stadium due to logistics, did little to aid RCB’s cause. With this being their fourth defeat, RCB now sit third on the table with 17 points from 13 matches—level with Punjab Kings but behind on net run rate.
With one game left, RCB must beat Lucknow Super Giants on May 27 and hope Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings lose their remaining fixtures to top the table. A second-place finish remains possible if only one of GT or PBKS wins their final game.
What if RCB lose to LSG?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) playoff path has become more complicated following their 42-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. A loss in their final league match against Lucknow Super Giants on May 27 could push them down to fourth, especially if Gujarat Titans (vs CSK on May 25) and Punjab Kings (vs DC on May 24 and MI on May 26) win their remaining matches.
Finishing in the top two is critical, as it offers two chances to reach the final via Qualifier 1 on May 29 in Mullanpur. Falling to third or fourth would force RCB into the Eliminator on May 30, where the margin for error is zero. After a strong start to IPL 2025, top-two hopes now depend not only on their performance but also on results elsewhere. As they head into their final fixture, Rajat Patidar’s team faces a must-win scenario with everything on the line.