Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most popular T20 league in the world and why wouldn’t it be? One gets to see all the world-class players coming together and enthralling the fans with top-notch performances. Since the inception of the league, we have witnessed some breath-taking games of cricket with last ball finishes.
So much competition between the teams has often led to the games going down to the wire. On many occasions, it has ended on the last ball of the final over. There have been various instances when the games have finished on the last ball, bringing a lot of excitement amongst the cricket fans.
In this article, we take a look at the teams which have registered the most number of the last ball wins in IPL history:
1. Chennai Super Kings: 6
Chennai Super Kings, one of the most consistent sides in IPL has registered the most number of last-ball wins in IPL history. It isn’t surprising though, as they are led by the best finisher in the world- MS Dhoni, who loves to take the game as deep as possible.
MS Dhoni played a major role with the bat in most of the CSK’s last ball finishes. The most recent being against Rajasthan Royals where MS Dhoni’s match-winning knock of 58 runs off 43 balls helped CSK reach home. Mitchell Santner hit the six on the last ball to seal the game for the team.
2. Mumbai Indians: 5
On number two is Mumbai Indians, who have the habit of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Mumbai Indians is the most successful team in the history of IPL. One would see a sense of pride in the players every time they walk on the field to compete. You wouldn’t see them dropping their shoulders till the last ball of the game is bowled and this attitude has often helped them in winning matches from losing positions.
When you talk about the last ball finishes, the final of 2019 IPL remains at the top of the list. Mumbai Indians won the game by a single run after Malinga got Shardul Thakur out leg before on the last ball of the final over. Mumbai Indians, in their IPL history, has registered wins on the last ball on 5 occasions.
3. Rajasthan Royals: 4
Rajasthan Royals sits at the fourth on the pile when it comes to last ball finishes in IPL. After winning the title in the inaugural edition of IPL, Rajasthan Royals haven’t produce goods in the following seasons. They have remained in the bottom half of the table in most of the seasons. Interestingly, Rajasthan Royals have won 4 games of IPL on the last ball of the match.
4. Kings XI Punjab: 3 times
Kings XI Punjab possessed a very good squad going into the 2020 IPL. However, somehow they managed to lose the game in the final overs of the game. They could have reached the playoffs had they held their nerves and put up a better show at the fag end of the innings.
However, they have managed to secure wins in last-ball thrillers on three occasions. They recently registered a final-ball win against RCB in the IPL 2020. KL Rahul and Co. made a mess of the 172-run target in the latter half of the chase. Nicholas Pooran, though, hit a six on the last ball to take his team home eventually.
5. Rising Pune Supergiants: 2 times
Rising Pune Supergiants is involved in probably the best last ball-finish in IPL history, thanks to an unbelievable inning by MS Dhoni. Needing 23 runs off the last over, MS Dhoni finished the game with a last-ball six to script an unbelievable victory for the team. In its two-season IPL journey, Rising Pune Supergiants registered last-ball finishes on 2 occasions.
