IPL 2025 format: How does the group system in IPL work?
IPL will be played in a group format for the fourth year running with the groups seeing a change in which teams are present in Groups A and B. The change in format was made in 2022.
The league started out as an eight-team competition, with the teams facing each other at home and away. This format was labeled as the double round robin and at the end of the league, the top four sides would advance to the playoffs. However, with the introduction of two new teams prior to the 2022 edition, the league shifted to a group format with a single table to track the points and progress of the teams.
Teams from the same group play each other twice and the teams from the opposing group once, with the exception that they will play the seeded team in the other group twice. An example can be made for Chennai Super Kings, who are seeded as the first team in Group A and are placed alongside Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.
CSK will play the other four teams in their group twice. Seeded at the top in Group B are Mumbai Indians, who are the only team from the group whom they will play twice. Apart from MI, CSK will face all the other teams only once throughout the IPL season.
Take a look at the groups below (listed as per seeding):
Group A: Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings
Group B: Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants
IPL 2025 to kick off on March 22 with KKR taking on RCB
The 18th edition of the IPL will see defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the third clash of the league stages, Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, March 23, at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
A couple of new rules are set to be implemented starting this season, with the saliva ban being lifted and two balls being used to counter the effect of dew.