In a world where the attention span of many can stretch to a TikTok and perhaps a four-minute scroll through other social media, the fast-paced cricket of T20 has become more and more popular. This 20-over blastathon version of the game, where hitting boundaries and taking wickets are far more important than old-fashioned ideas about containment or orthodox strokeplay, has actually been around for over 20 years now.
However, whilst it was created by the England and Wales Cricket Board, and first introduced at county level, it is in India where it has been most successful. The Indian Premier League, or IPL, is not just one of the biggest competitions in cricket, but also one of the most lucrative sports leagues in the world.
The 2024 IPL runs from the 22nd of March and runs for just over two months, with the champions set to be crowned on the 26th of May. This will be the 17th IPL but who has won the previous 16? Have there been any dominant teams and, to cut to the chase, which side has won the most IPL titles?
Chennai Are IPL Super Kings
There are two teams that have both won the IPL a record five times but we are going to crown the Chennai Super Kings as the most successful team. The Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians have both landed the trophy five times but we’ll give gold to Chennai for two reasons.
First, they have played just 14 seasons, whilst Mumbai have been involved in all 16 IPL campaigns. Chennai missed out in 2016 and 2017 due to suspension. That gives CSK a strike rate of one win every 2.8 seasons, compared to Mumbai, who win one every 3.2 seasons. In addition, as well as winning the title five times, Chennai have lost the final a record five times as well.
Amazingly, that means they have made the last two in 10 out of their 14 seasons which really is phenomenal consistency. Mumbai have lost just one final and whilst in some senses it is better to have that killer instinct when the really big games come around, you have to be in it to win it, and but for the odd boundary or wicket here and there, CSK could easily have won six, seven or even more Indian Premier Leagues.
CSK’s Fab Five
Chennai, or at least its IPL side, was founded in 2008 and they have made the playoffs with incredible regularity too, in addition to the five crowns they have won. In 14 previous seasons, they have missed out on the secondary phase of the competition just twice, testimony to the brilliant captaincy – and cricket – of India’s legendary MS Dhoni, who has led them since they first played. Here are brief details of their five wins:
- 2010 – Beat Mumbai Indians – CSK batted first, recording 168/5 and restricting Mumbai to 146/9 to win by 22 runs.
- 2011 – Beat Royal Challengers Bangalore – the Super Kings defended their crown with ease, amassing 205/5 and winning by 58 runs.
- 2018 – Beat Sunrisers Hyderabad – there was a wait for title number three but it came in 2018 as they chased 179 with ease, winning by eight wickets with nine balls to spare. Shane Watson scored a brilliant unbeaten 117.
- 2021 – Beat Kolkata Knight Riders – this time KKR were the losers, Chennai scoring 192/3 to win by 27 runs.
- 2023 – Beat Gujarat Titans – CSK edged out the defending champions using the DLS method in a rain-affected final. The Titans scored 214/4 on the reserve day after the initial final was washed out. More rain meant Chennai needed 171 from 15 overs which they managed with five wickets to spare – albeit thanks to a six and a four from the last two balls!
Kolkata the Only Other Multiple Champion
Kolkata Knight Riders are the only other IPL franchise to have lifted the trophy more than once. They won in 2012 and 2014 and also made the final in 2021. Like the Mumbai Indians, the upcoming campaign will be their 17th.
Whilst KKR are the only other team with multiple victories, aside from Chennai, the only other franchise to have lost more than one final is Royal Challengers Bangalore. They are yet to get their hands on the silverware but have come as close as you possibly can without doing so three times. They lost the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016 and, once again, have been involved in all 16 of the previous IPL campaigns.
All Winners of the IPL
In total there have been just seven sides that have won the IPL, with two teams, CSK and Mumbai having been so dominant. A further four have made the final. Among these are the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, who lost the 2017 showpiece to Mumbai, and the Deccan Chargers who also no longer exist. The Chargers beat Bangalore to win the 2009 IPL title.
The table below shows all the teams that have won the IPL crown at least once, as well as their total titles, how many seasons they have been involved in and how many times they have lost the final.
| Team | Titles | Years Won | Finals Lost | Years Lost | Seasons Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 | 5 | 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019 | 14 |
| Mumbai Indians | 5 | 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 | 1 | 2010 | 16 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 2 | 2012, 2014 | 2 | 2021 | 16 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 1 | 2008 | 1 | 2022 | 14 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 1 | 2016 | 1 | 2018 | 11 |
| Gujarat Titans | 1 | 2022 | 1 | 2023 | 2 |
| Deccan Chargers | 1 | 2009 | 0 | NA | 5 |
Whilst the consistency of the Chennai Super Kings is incredible, they do not have either the best win percentage, nor the best record for making finals. As we can see, Gujarat have played just two IPL seasons and have made the final twice. Clearly they have some way to go to match the Super Kings but a 100% success rate of making the final and a 50% win ratio overall certainly look like tidy stats for the time being!