The IPL 2025 playoffs are underway, and the road to the final is now clear. PBKS and RCB will face off in Qualifier 1 and Gujarat Titans take on Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator on Friday.
All eyes are on GT and MI as they are about to undertake one of the toughest tasks in IPL history - winning the title after playing the Eliminator.
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Since the current playoff format was introduced in 2011, history has not been kind to teams starting their journey in the Eliminator. It’s a straight knockout path: win the Eliminator, win Qualifier 2, then win the final three high-stakes matches in a row. Only one team has ever pulled it off.
Has any team ever won the IPL title after playing the Eliminator?
That one exception was in 2016 when David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad defied the odds. They beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the Eliminator, defeated Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 2 and then held their nerve in a dramatic final against Royal Challengers Bangalore, winning by 8 runs.
Since then, every IPL title winner has come from the top two finishers in the league stage. It’s no coincidence -- the playoff format offers them a second chance and a clearer route to the final.
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What does this mean for MI and GT?
Both Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians face a steep climb. For Mumbai, this is not an unfamiliar territory - they have won the title five times.
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But none of those wins came via the Eliminator route. History suggests the odds are against them but in a tournament as unpredictable as the IPL, past trends don’t always tell the full story.
If either side manages to go all the way, it will be only the second time a team has won the title after starting in the Eliminator.