IPL 2025: CSK's Playoff Hopes In Jeopardy After Loss To MI; Here's How MS Dhoni's Team Can Still Qualify

Chennai Super Kings’ playoff ambitions suffered a setback after a crushing nine-wicket defeat to Mumbai Indians on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium. Despite their recent victory over Lucknow Super Giants, MS Dhoni’s men couldn’t carry the momentum forward, as Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav produced clinical performances to chase down CSK’s total of 177 with ease.

Can CSK Qualify for Play offs despite loss to MI?

While their chances now seem slim, Chennai Super Kings are not completely out of the race for the IPL 2025 playoffs. With just four points from eight matches, CSK will need to win all their remaining games to reach 16 points. History shows that it’s still possible to make the playoffs with such a total last season, Royal Challengers Bangalore qualified with only 14 points.

However, for CSK to have a real shot at qualification, they must not only win, but also win big. Their net run rate, currently at a dismal -1.392 (the worst in IPL 2025), needs a significant improvement. This means Chennai will need to secure big margins of victory to boost their chances and hope for favorable results from other teams. With fate still in their own hands, Dhoni’s men will be hoping for a dramatic turnaround in the coming weeks.

This was their sixth defeat in eight matches, leaving them at the bottom of the 10-team table. The loss puts further pressure on the team as they try to turn their fortunes around.

Mumbai Indians climb points table after CSK win

Rohit Sharma returned to form with an unbeaten 76, while Suryakumar Yadav played a blistering knock of 68 off 30 balls. The pair shared a 114-run partnership for the second wicket, leading Mumbai to victory with 26 balls to spare. Earlier, Mumbai's opening stand between Ryan Rickleton (24) and Rohit (63 runs) had set the stage for their dominant performance. The win saw MI climb to 6th place on IPL 2025 points table.