The Indian Premier League is, arguably, the world’s most popular cricket event and one of the most popular sports events in general. Before the 2024 IPL kicks in, let’s take a look at 10 best matches of the mega cricket event, till date.
| Sl No. | Teams | Season |
| 01 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2008 |
| 02 | Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings | 2010 |
| 03 | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | 2008 |
| 04 | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 2011 |
| 05 | Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India | 2013 |
| 06 | Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals | 2014 |
| 07 | Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings | 2014 |
| 08 | Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 2018 |
| 09 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians | 2019 |
| 10 | Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab | 2020 |
Highlights of the 10 Best Matches of IPL
Before we begin, please note: in 2021, Kings XI Punjab changed its name to Punjab Kings, since this list mentions matches played till 2020, the older name is used here. Following is a short overview of the 10 best IPL matches with highlights:
1. Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
The match between Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 18, 2008 was the opening match of the tournament. It started with KKR batting first and Brendon McCullum opting to fight with all the tricks up his sleeve. He paid no heed to any of the opposition’s bowlers while scoring a gigantic 158* runs from 73 balls which included 13 huge 6’s and 10 convenient 4’s. McCullum broke the record of 2006 of 141 runs in a T20 match by Cameron White.
In reply to KKR’s massive total of 222-3, RCB was bowled out by 15.1 overs with only 82 runs on the scoreboard. Before the tournament took off, the commentators said that it would change cricket forever. Well, after the first match, the cricket world knew ‘how’.
2. Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings
The 2nd match of this list is the one held in 2010 between Preity Zinta’s Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Dhoni’s ‘finisher’ charisma was witnessed once again when his team was struggling to reach semi-finals in IPL season 2010.
In reply to KXIP’s massive total of 192-3, CSK was down with 2 batsmen by the 4th over collecting only 27 runs. The match almost slipped away from the men in yellow when it was down to 16 runs to win from only 1 over. Dhoni took his team to the semi-finals beating KXIP by 6 wickets by scoring those 16 runs in 4 consecutive boundaries of that last over bowled by Irfan Pathan and showed the world how it’s done!
3. Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings
Shila Shetty’s Rajasthan Royals (RR), led by Shane Warne, took the first ever IPL Champions trophy home by beating CSK by 3 wickets to make the match one of the best ever IPL matches on 1st June 2008. CSK put up a decent score of 163-5 with skipper MS Dhoni scoring 29 of 17 balls. In reply, RR made an easy 164 runs with Yusuf Pathan’s brilliant half century of 56 runs off just 39 balls.
But what made the match get a place on this list is the sheer thrill of the chase itself. The result of the match came down to the last over which went very wrong for CSK. Lakshmipathi Balaji was assigned with the duty to finish the match and he threw a completely undesirable wide ball in that final over that ruined CSK’s dream of being the first-ever IPL champion. The match was won by RR on the very last delivery of the over.
4. Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
On 22nd May, 2011 the cricket world witnessed how the Ambani-owned Mumbai Indians love to put up a nail-biting show to bring in victory against KKR. The MI fans were too disappointed to watch the match any longer and started to exit the stadium when 40 runs were required from just 2.3 overs for the team to win in reply to KKR’s 175–7.
Yet again, Lakshmipathi Balaji was assigned with the last over- this time for the KKR and MI needed 21 runs to win. James Franklin took the charge of taking his team to victory by hitting 4 consecutive boundaries in that last over and was followed by a six by Ambati Rayadu to snatch victory. And that’s how the match got its place in this list.
5. Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India
The highest number of sixes hit in one single IPL innings is 17, the fastest century in an IPL match by a batsman was scored in just 30 balls and the highest total score of an IPL team in a match is 263 runs- all these records were made on 13th April 2013 and one man was to credit for them all.
The Caribbean self-claimed ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle not only took all the credits for these records but also took 2 wickets for 5 runs to restrict Pune Warriors India (PWI) to 133-9. Oh, and his final total score in that match was 175* off just 66 balls.
6. Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals
RR lost this match held in 2014 against MI which was very much in favor of the former after they scored an impressive total of 189-4 in 20 overs. Sanju Samson of RR scored a brilliant half century with 74 runs in a total of 47 balls. But this match went down in history because of the fact that to not be out of the play-offs, it was MI’s last chance and they needed to win it by 14 overs only.
Corey Anderson took most of the credit for the show with his magnificent 95 off 45 balls. When Ambati Rayadu was run out on the 3rd ball, the match was tied at 189 in 14.3 overs. Only a boundary on the next ball could save the match for the Indians. It was, perhaps, one of the most memorable sixes of IPL that was scored by Aditya Tare on that next ball to bag the victory.
7. Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings
In another of the qualifiers of IPL 2014 between KXIP & CSK, it was a run-out that made one think hard. Virendar Sehwag scored a smashing 122 runs off 58 balls that took CSK to a total of 226-6. But all hopes of CSK to qualify into the final was gone when opener Faf Du Plessis returned to the pavilion on the 2nd ball of the innings.
Suresh Raina made a commendable effort by scoring 87 runs off just 25 balls and taking the team total to 100 runs in 6 overs. Hopes were gleaming a bit but only that much as he was run-out on the very first ball after the powerplay session. The remaining batsmen of the team could take it only to 202-7. Could CSK win the match if Raina would go on to bat further? No one can tell.
8. Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Andre Russel hit 11 massive sixes to score 88 runs from only 36 balls and this helped KKR reach the total of 202-6 in 20 overs. In the IPL 2018, his performance set yet another record which got Russel the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award, yes, but it was overshadowed by the victory snatched by CSK in that match.
Ravindra Jadeja and DJ Bravo kept the scoreboard running until they bagged the match with 17 runs scored in the last over alone. The match ended in 19.5 overs when CSK’s total reached 205-5.
9. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians
Cricket’s uncertainty was proved once more in this match of 2019 when it saw the outcome of a legend like Lasith Malinga being replaced by a debutant of mere 22 years, Alzarri Joseph, playing for MI. The match was totally in favor of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) when they had to chase down 137 runs in 20 overs. They were the unspoken winners of the match, but MI came up with yet another nerve-wracking game.
Joseph started his IPL career in the 4th over of the match sending David Warner back to the pavilion. After bowling 3.3 overs, he broke the record set by Sohail Tanvir of 6-14 in 2008 with his 6-12. SRH was shown the road when his final spell read 3.4-1-12-6!
10. Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab
How can this list be completed without a match that ended in a super over? In 2020, the MI’s displayed yet another of their nerve-wracking performances as the match against KXIP was lost only in the super over. Batting first, MI put up a decently winning score of 176-6 with a half century by Quinton de Cock and amazing 34 runs off 12 balls by Keiron Pollard.
KL Rahul’s 71 runs off 51 balls leveled the score for KXIP. Both the sides played 20 overs. Heading into the super over, KXIP made 15 runs without any wicket and in reply to that, MI could make only 11 runs. 3 points were given to KXIP.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is dated to return at the end of March 2024. Cricket lovers and cricketers all around the world are eagerly waiting to witness some more nerve-wracking, nail-biting moments.
