NEW DELHI, May 28, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The Indian Premier League has finally reached the playoff stage, later than planned, leaving four teams to battle for the title beginning on Thursday.

AFP Sport highlights the best and worst of the T20 league in 2025 -- from a 14-year-old bursting onto the scene to deadly armed conflict bringing a dramatic halt to the action.

- Sensational Suryavanshi -

Rajasthan Royals' 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi catapulted himself into the world cricket spotlight by belting his first ball fearlessly for six on his IPL debut.

The youngest player ever to grace the IPL made headlines with 34 off 20 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, but it was just a taste of what was to come.

Nine days later, Suryavanshi smashed the Gujarat Titans bowlers to all parts as he scored the second fastest hundred in tournament history.

The teenager brought up his century off 35 balls with 11 sixes and seven fours to stand behind only West Indies great Chris Gayle, who took 30 balls to make a ton in 2013.

The staggering power-hitting of left-hander Suryavanshi, who cost $130,500 as a 13-year-old at November's auction, enabled Rajasthan to chase down their 210 target with more than four overs to spare.

He rounded off a remarkable debut season with 57 against Chennai Super Kings in his final outing.

- Costly Pant -

Lucknow splashed a record $3.21 million to secure Rishabh Pant as captain, but the India wicketkeeper-batsman appeared to buckle under the weight of his price tag.

The usually swashbuckling ball striker failed to fire or inspire as Lucknow were eliminated from the playoff race with two matches to play.

He belatedly found his touch in Lucknow's final match on Tuesday night, scoring 118 off 61 balls in another losing cause against Bengaluru.

The knock raised his season average to an ordinary 24.45 from an abject 13.72 going into the match, and barely disguised his poor value for money after a return of 269 runs from 13 innings.

- Dharamsala drama -

The IPL was suspended on May 9, a day after the Punjab Kings-Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was abandoned while nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire across their border.

Players left the field and crowds were hurried out of the ground as air raid warnings sounded in the city less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Jammu, where explosions had been reported hours earlier.

Players and officials had to board a train to escape to New Delhi because local airspace had been closed.

A ceasefire allowed a resumption on May 17, but Australia and Delhi's Mitchell Starc, who had been caught up in the Dharamsala drama, decided not to return.

- Records wait -

Sunrisers Hyderabad came within a whisker of beating their own IPL record score of 287 during the second match of the season in March.

Powered by Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 106, the 2016 champions posted 286-6 in a 44-run victory over Rajasthan Royals.

Pundits predicted that the 300-run barrier might be breached this season.

But after that no team went past 250 until Sunday, when high-scoring Sunrisers posted 278-5 in their final match as Heinrich Klaasen hit 105 not out off 39 balls.

- Dhoni decision? -

Five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings completed a heavy fall from grace as they finished bottom of the table for the first time in their history.

Champions in 2023 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the India great again took charge when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was injured mid-season.

Dhoni, now 43, could not revive the glory days and Chennai became the first team to be eliminated from the playoff picture.

After signing off with a consolation 83-run win over Gujarat Titans, Dhoni said he was in "no hurry" to decide on whether he would retire after a glittering career.