International Sports

IPL 2025: Seven teams fighting for four spots

RCB, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans are comfortably placed, Delhi Capitals, KKR and LSG not so

Published

9 months ago

May 6, 2025

With only 15 matches to go in the league stage of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), seven teams are still in contention to make it to the playoffs, but no team has secured a place in the top four yet.

According to ESPNcricinfo experts, here’s what each of these seven teams needs to do to qualify.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB has played 11 matches, have 16 points and has three matches still to play.

These matches are against LSG, SRH and KKR.

The washout between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC) means that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are now only one win away from securing their place in the playoffs.

That’s because five teams can make it to 18 points only if at least a couple of teams get there due to two washouts.

Since the number of wins is the first tie-breaker for teams on equal points, RCB will go through on the basis of nine wins. They can also make the top four with 16 points if other results go their way.

However, two wins will not guarantee a top-two finish yet, as three teams can still finish with 20 or more points.

Punjab Kings

PBKS have so far also played 11 matches, and have 15 points. The still have three matches to play – against Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

To be certain of qualification, Punjab Kings (PBKS) need to win a couple of games and move up to 19 points. If they win each of their three remaining games, they’ll be assured of a top-two finish. Two of their three remaining games are against teams in the top five, which makes those results extremely vital for PBKS.

Mumbai Indians

MI have so far also played 11 matches and are sitting with 14 points. They also still have three matches to play – against Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.

With six wins in a row, Mumbai Indians (MI) are undoubtedly the form team of the tournament at the moment. Not only have they won six consecutive matches, they have done so by convincing margins – four of those victories have been by either 50-plus runs or by more than 25 balls to spare.

That has helped lift their NRR to an enviable 1.274, easily the best among all teams. A couple of wins will guarantee a place in the playoffs, while 20 will likely ensure a top-two finish given their excellent NRR.

For them to qualify with 16 points, several other results will need to go in their favour, but 14 won’t cut it anymore, since their three remaining games are against sides that are all in contention. Three defeats will take all those teams above MI, while RCB already have 16.

Gujarat Titans

The Titans have played only 10 matches so far and are sitting with 14 points. They have four matches still to play – against MI, DC, LSG and CSK.

They have an excellent NRR of 0.867 – which is second only to MI’s.

As with MI, Gujarat Titans also need at least a win to stay in contention, while two wins will guarantee qualification.

However, they will be eliminated if they lose each of their four remaining games and stay on 14. They have a favourable itinerary too, with their last two games scheduled at home, where they have a formidable 4-1 record so far this season.

Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals have played 11 matches so far and have 13 points. They have three matches still to play – against PBKS, GT and MI.

A lucky point against SRH halted a two-match losing sequence for DC and gave them a bit of a breather.

Fifteen points will push them into the top four only if several other results go in their favour, while 17 could also place them at the mercy of other results – it’s still possible for six teams to finish on 17 or more points.

Wins in all three remaining matches will ensure qualification, but that will require a huge reversal of form, given that they have only won one of their last five matches.

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR has also played 11 matches and have three to go. They are sitting with 11 points. Their three remaining matches are against CSK, SRH, and RCB.

Fifteen points could give Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) an outside chance based on other results, but more realistically, they’ll need 17 to stay in contention. Even then, it could come down to other results and net run rates.

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG have 11 matches ticked off and have 10 points in total. They still need to play three matches – against RCB, GT and SRH.

Like DC, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are also struggling for momentum, having lost three in a row, and four of their last five.

The best they can do now is win their three remaining matches, finish on 16 points, and hope that a couple of in-form teams suffer a sudden reversal of fortunes. If they lose one more match, though, LSG will be eliminated.

Tuesday’s match

Today, Tuesday May 6, will see Match 56 play out at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai when Mumbai Indians will take on Gujarat Titans.

The match starts at 5:30 pm Kabul time and will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television across Afghanistan.

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International Sports

Winter Olympics gain momentum as medal table takes shape

After the first full day of competition, Italy, Japan and Norway are tied with three medals each (one gold, one silver and one bronze).

Published

1 day ago

February 8, 2026

Ariana News

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games continued to build momentum on Sunday as the early medal race tightened and a packed schedule of medal-deciding events unfolded across venues in northern Italy.

Host nation Italy sits among the early leaders on the medal table following Saturday’s opening competitions.

Italian speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida delivered a historic moment for the hosts, claiming Italy’s first gold medal of the Games in the women’s 3000-metre speed skating, setting an Olympic record in front of a home crowd.

After the first full day of competition, Italy, Japan and Norway are tied with three medals each (one gold, one silver and one bronze). Sweden follows with two medals, while Switzerland, Slovenia, Canada and China have each opened their accounts with a single medal.

Attention now turns to Sunday’s programme, which features several high-profile medal events expected to further shake up the standings.

Highlights on the schedule include the women’s downhill in alpine skiing, the mixed relay in biathlon, the men’s 20km skiathlon in cross-country skiing, parallel giant slalom finals in snowboarding, the men’s 5000-metre speed skating, and the conclusion of the figure skating team event.

Final runs in men’s singles luge are also set to determine podium places, while round-robin action continues in curling and women’s ice hockey.

As athletes chase early Olympic glory, Sunday’s competitions are expected to set the tone for the days ahead at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Sunday’s events will be broadcast live on Ariana Television, bringing the drama and excitement of the Winter Olympics directly to viewers across the region.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for full broadcast schedules.

International Sports

Pakistan to boycott T20 World Cup group match against India

Published

1 week ago

February 2, 2026

Ariana News

Pakistan will boycott their February 15 match of the Twenty20 World Cup against arch-rivals India in Colombo, the Pakistan government said on Sunday while approving the team’s participation in the global showpiece.

“The government… grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the post on the government’s official X account said without elaborating on reasons behind the decision, Reuters reported.

Pakistan, who are scheduled to play all their matches in Sri Lanka, would forfeit two points if they boycotted the India match. There was no clarity on what would happen should the neighbours meet in a knockout game.

Bilateral cricket remains suspended between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a military conflict that nearly snowballed into a fully-fledged war last year.

Their fraught political relations prompted the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) to broker an arrangement allowing them to play at a neutral venue when their neighbour hosts a global tournament.

The 2009 champions had earlier announced their squad for the 20-team tournament beginning on February 7, maintaining that their participation was subject to government approval.

Their decision to boycott the India match is a serious blow to the tournament because an India-Pakistan clash remains cricket’s greatest blockbuster, which is why they are clubbed together in the same group in ICC events.

The ICC said it was awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”.

“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement.

“The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.”

ASIA CUP PRECEDENT

The governing body said a successful tournament was its priority, while sounding an optimistic note.

“The ICC’s priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB,” it said.

“It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.”

This is not the first example of geopolitical tension affecting the tournament.

Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland in the global showpiece following their refusal to travel to India over safety concerns.

The latest setback is a continuation of the soured India-Pakistan relations which manifested in last year’s Asia Cup in Dubai.

India beat Pakistan three times in the tournament, including in the September 28 final, but declined to shake hands with their opponents and refused to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister.

Namibia, United States and the Netherlands are also in Group A from which two sides will advance to the tournament’s Super Eight stage.

“I extend my best wishes to the Pakistan team for the World Cup,” Naqvi, also the PCB chairman, was quoted as saying by Geo TV.

“I hope the team will return with the T20 World Cup trophy.”

The PCB supported Bangladesh’s demands to shift their matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC ruled out any threat to Bangladesh players or fans in India and rejected their late demand for a schedule change.

International Sports

FIFA announces hosts and groups for expanded FIFA Series 2026

Under the expanded format announced in November 2025, the FIFA Series 2026 will feature 12 groups of four teams each, to be played during the international match windows in March and April.

Published

3 weeks ago

January 20, 2026

Ariana News

FIFA has confirmed the full list of hosts and group compositions for the expanded FIFA Series 2026 bringing together 48 national teams from all six confederations in one of the most inclusive international initiatives in global football.

Under the expanded format announced in November 2025, the FIFA Series 2026 will feature 12 groups of four teams each, to be played during the international match windows in March and April. The participating teams represent almost a quarter of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations, underscoring the growing scale and global reach of the competition.

Eleven FIFA Member Associations will host the events, with Rwanda staging two groups, bringing the total number of groups to 12.

The series includes nine men’s groups and three women’s groups, with competitions taking place across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America and South America.

The men’s groups will be hosted by Australia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rwanda and Uzbekistan, while the women’s groups will be staged in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Thailand.

FIFA said the line-up highlights the truly global nature of the FIFA Series and its commitment to supporting both men’s and women’s national teams.

All matches in the FIFA Series 2026 will be broadcast globally, improving access for fans worldwide and increasing exposure for participating national teams, particularly those from emerging football nations.

The competition brings together teams with a wide range of competitive profiles.

On the men’s side, participants range from established teams such as Australia, currently ranked 26th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, to developing nations like the US Virgin Islands, ranked 207th. In the women’s competition, teams include Brazil, ranked seventh globally, as well as Turks and Caicos Islands, ranked 194th.

Five men’s teams involved in the FIFA Series 2026 — Australia, Cabo Verde, Curaçao, New Zealand and Uzbekistan — have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, adding competitive relevance to the development-focused tournament.

Beyond on-field competition, FIFA said the series also supports off-field development, giving host and participating associations valuable experience in event delivery, referee development, competition organisation and operational planning under conditions similar to major international tournaments.

FIFA added that the FIFA Series 2026 aligns with its Strategic Objectives for the Global Game 2023–2027, offering cross-confederation competition without adding pressure to the international match calendar, while promoting technical growth, organisational development and global exchange. Match schedules for all events will be announced at a later date.

MEN’S GROUPS

Australia (AFC)

Australia (host)
Cameroon
China PR
Curaçao

Azerbaijan (UEFA)

Azerbaijan (host)
Oman
Sierra Leone
St Lucia

Indonesia (AFC)

Bulgaria
Indonesia (host)
Solomon Islands
St Kitts and Nevis

Kazakhstan (UEFA)

Comoros
Kazakhstan (host)
Kuwait
Namibia

New Zealand (OFC)

Cabo Verde
Chile
Finland
New Zealand (host)

Puerto Rico (Concacaf)