IPL 2025 league stage in numbers: Leaders, laggards, and surprises

After several weeks of electrifying contests and unpredictable turns, the league stage of IPL 2025 culminated in dramatic fashion. The final standings were only confirmed on the concluding day of the group phase, underscoring the razor-thin margins and competitive intensity that defined this year’s edition. As the dust settled on Tuesday, the top four teams, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Mumbai Indians, secured their spots in what promises to be a riveting playoff showdown.

Orange Cap: Sai Sudharsan tops the charts

Gujarat Titans’ young sensation, Sai Sudharsan, emerged as the frontrunner in the Orange Cap race, amassing 679 runs in 14 innings. His consistency at the crease and ability to find gaps earned him the most boundaries this season, an impressive 78 fours. Close on his heels is his skipper, Shubman Gill, who accumulated 649 runs, followed by Mumbai Indians’ powerhouse Suryakumar Yadav with 640. Australia`s Mitchell Marsh, a pillar of strength for his franchise, stands fourth with 627 runs.

Purple Cap: Noor Ahmad leads the pack

Chennai Super Kings’ left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad leads the Purple Cap standings, claiming 24 wickets with his deceptive variations. Hot on his trail is Gujarat Titans’ Prasidh Krishna with 23 wickets. As GT heads into the playoffs, Krishna remains a strong contender to overtake Ahmad. Veteran pacer Trent Boult sits third with 19 scalps, while Arshdeep Singh (Punjab Kings) and Josh Hazlewood (RCB) are tied at fourth with 18 wickets each, underlining their impact with the ball.

Highest individual score: Abhishek Sharma’s masterclass

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma delivered the standout batting performance of the season, smashing 141 off just 55 balls, a whirlwind innings studded with 14 boundaries and 10 sixes. Rishabh Pant`s unbeaten 118, crafted in the final group-stage fixture against RCB in Lucknow, stands as the second-highest individual score of the campaign.

Best bowling figures: Starc’s fiery spell

Veteran pacer Mitchell Starc reminded everyone of his class with a stunning 5/35 for Delhi Capitals against Sunrisers Hyderabad. His fiery spell remains the best bowling performance in a single match this season, a masterclass in pace and precision.

Underperformers: A fall from grace

This season also saw some unexpected lows. For the first time in IPL history, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings finished at the bottom of the points table. Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders endured a disappointing run, ending eighth with just 12 points. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals showed promise but fell agonizingly short, finishing fifth with 15 points, just outside playoff qualification.

This article first appeared on Mid Day