IPL 2025 Playoff: How often do mid-season top 4 teams qualify historically?

Over the years, fans have witnessed some exhilarating action in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The twists and turns in every season ensure a thrill-a-minute ride for the fans. Every season, the league grows bigger and bigger, drawing more eyeballs with its unique combination of heart-stopping cricketing action and Bollywood-style entertainment.

The tactical aspect in the league has also grown over the years, as franchise owners have understood the nitty-gritties of the competition. 2025 has been a season where some of the teams that have never won the coveted title are looking good to go the distance. This only adds to the intensity and unpredictability of the league.

CricTracker takes a look at a very interesting statistic in IPL history as the ongoing edition heads towards the business end.

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How often do mid-season top 4 teams qualify historically?

Before delving into this article, it is important to know the criteria we have taken into account. We are considering mid-season, when half of the league games have been played. To put things in perspective, IPL 2025 will have 70 matches in the league phase. At the end of 35 matches, Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were the top four teams on the points table. Currently, after match No. 49, RCB, PBKS, Mumbai Indians (MI), and GT are the top four teams.

17. IPL 2008

The inaugural edition of the IPL was held in 2008. Eight teams competed in the tournament. The round-robin phase consisted of 56 matches. After the first 28 matches, Rajasthan Royals (RR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), PBKS, and DC were the top four. All of them qualified for the playoffs (which were held in the semi-final and final format for the first three seasons) in the same order.

Shane Warne-led Rajasthan became the first-ever champions of the tournament as they defeated MS Dhoni's CSK by three wickets, chasing down a 164-run target off the last ball.