Which is the best IPL final ever? Indian Premier League's top showpiece matches and full all-time winners list

Vishakha Deshpande

Which is the best IPL final ever? Indian Premier League's top showpiece matches and full all-time winners list image

The IPL is one of the pinnacle events of cricket and is arguably the best and most exciting competition in the T20 format.

Over the years the tournament has provided a stage for India's best talent, as well as attracting some of the greatest players from overseas.

The final stands apart as the most enthralling part of the spectacle, with Mumbai Indians currently holding the record for the most titles and setting the benchmark with five, prior to the 2023 showpiece.

But which of the IPL's finals was the best ever? Here, we look at the most memorable showpiece matches from years gone by.

MORE: IPL final 2023 venue, date and all the details

Mumbai Indians (149/8) vs Chennai Super Kings (148/7), 2019 — Mumbai won by 1 run

In a game where both sides batted below average, no one would have expected the match to go down to the last ball. Mumbai put up 148 runs on the board for Chennai to chase and Shane Watson played through an injury to try and take Chennai over the line. But Lasith Malinga bowled the most exceptional slower delivery when Chennai needed two off the last ball. Chennai's Shardul Thakur attempted a missed leg-side sweep and the umpire signaled out, as Mumbai clinched their fourth IPL title.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (208/7) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (200/7), 2016 — Hyderabad won by 8 runs

Royal Challengers Bangalore came tantalisingly close to winning their maiden IPL title but Sunrisers Hyderabad decided to spoil their party. Hyderabad posted a mammoth total of 208 to put RCB under pressure before Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle put up a 100-plus run partnership to keep their hopes in the chase alive. However, once the two batsmen were dismissed, Bangalore’s batting line-up collapsed, eventually setting them up for a heartbreaking loss by just eight runs.

Chris Gayle Virat Kohli
(Getty Images)

Chennai Super Kings (163/5) vs Rajasthan Royals (164/7), 2008 — Rajasthan won by 3 wickets

The inaugural IPL final was a spectacle that lived up to its hype. MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina's joint effort helped take CSK to a total of 163/5. However, it wasn't enough to deter Rajasthan. Yusuf Pathan's scintillating knock of 56 from just 39 balls gave RR a flying start and then captain Shane Warne took his team over the line by chasing down eight runs in the last over.

Chennai Super Kings (190/3) vs Kolkata Knight Riders (192/5), 2012 — Kolkata won by 5 wickets

Favourites to win the finals against underdogs KKR, CSK were ready to clinch their third championship title when they posted 190 runs on the board, and then took out KKR captain Gautam Gambhir early in the chase. It looked at that stage like they would comfortably cruise towards victory. However, Jacques Kallis' 49-ball 69 and a 136-run partnership with Manvinder Bisla took KKR to their first-ever IPL title.

MORE: Bet on the IPL 2023 final here: Latest odds and bets in India

Previous IPL finals list

Season Winner Winning margin Runner-up Final venue
2008 Rajasthan Royals Won by 3 wickets Chennai Super Kings DY Patil Stadium
  164/7 (20 overs) 163/5 (20 overs)
2009 Deccan Chargers Won by 6 runs Royal Challengers Bangalore Wanderers Stadium
  143/6 (20 overs) 137/9 (20 overs)
2010 Chennai Super Kings Won by 22 runs Mumbai Indians DY Patil Stadium
  168/5 (20 overs) 146/9 (20 overs)
2011 Chennai Super Kings Won by 58 runs Royal Challengers Bangalore M. A. Chidambaram Stadium
  205/5 (20 overs) 147/8 (20 overs)
2012 Kolkata Knight Riders Won by 5 wickets Chennai Super Kings M. A. Chidambaram Stadium
  192/5 (19.4 overs) 190/3 (20 overs)
2013 Mumbai Indians Won by 23 runs Chennai Super Kings Eden Gardens
  148/9 (20 overs) 125/9 (20 overs)
2014 Kolkata Knight Riders Won by 3 wickets Punjab Kings M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
  200/7 (19.3 overs) 199/4 (20 overs)
2015 Mumbai Indians Won by 41 runs Chennai Super Kings Eden Gardens
  202/5 (20 overs) 161/8 (20 overs)
2016 Sunrisers Hyderabad Won by 8 runs Royal Challengers Bangalore M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
  208/7 (20 overs) 200/7 (20 overs)
2017 Mumbai Indians Won by 1 run Rising Pune Supergiant Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
  129/8 (20 overs) 128/6 (20 overs)
2018 Chennai Super Kings Won by 8 wickets Sunrisers Hyderabad Wankhede Stadium
  181/2 (18.3 overs) 178/6 (20.0 overs)
2019 Mumbai Indians Won by 1 run Chennai Super Kings Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
  149/8 (20 overs) 148/7 (20 overs)
2020 Mumbai Indians Won by 5 wickets Delhi Capitals Dubai International Cricket Stadium
  157/5 (18.4 overs) 156/7 (20 overs)
2021 Chennai Super Kings  Won by 27 runs Kolkata Knight Riders Dubai International Cricket Stadium
  192/3 (20 overs) 165/9 (20 overs)
2022

Gujarat Titans
133/3 (18.1 overs)

Won by 7 wickets Rajasthan Royals 130/9 (20 overs) Narendra Modi Stadium
 

Vishakha Deshpande

Vishakha Deshpande Photo

Vishakha Deshpande is a content producer for The Sporting News.