The IPL’s Most Nerve-Wracking Finals, Ranked

With the Indian Premier League in full swing again, it’s hard not to be reminded that this tournament rarely does comfortable finishes. Every season brings its share of brilliant cricket moments, heartbreaks, highs and drama (ahem, the script jokes). And nothing quite has a way of compressing that tension into a few overs like an IPL final, where everything can flip without warning. What looks like a decisive victory can unravel in three deliveries; what feels like a lost cause can turn with one hit.

Most Thrilling IPL Finals

From one-run heists to last-ball equations, the following title clashes didn’t just decide champions, they were cricket at its peak.

7th: 2011 (Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore)

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RCB vs CSK finals have had their own fanbase, but this final never reached a last-over shootout. Chasing a whopping 206, the Bangalore-based team needed 52 runs off the last 3 overs, which effectively pushed the game beyond reach despite their batting depth. Murali Vijay’s 95 off 52 balls had already set up a high for CSK, something that RCB could not maintain despite Chris Gayle’s sensational tournament that year.

6th: 2016 (Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore)

This is where the idea of a “close final” needs a bit of nuance, because not every game has to go to the last ball to feel tense. Chasing 209, Royal Challengers Bangalore needed 18 runs off the final over, and the set batters were lost. It proved just out of reach for RCB, with the star-studded team finishing only 8 runs short at 200/7. David Warner’s 69 off 38 balls had powered Hyderabad earlier, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s control at the death overs earned him the Purple Cap. 

5th: 2021 (Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders)

The 2021 finals between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings was nothing less than an emotional rollercoaster. CSK had to prove their men had what it took after a disappointing 2020 season. KKR had a strong start, but a dip in run rate (which they picked up later on in the game) threw them off their tracks, leaving them 27 runs short despite a strong start.

4th: 2008 (Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings)

The first IPL final delivered a game that set the emotional template for everything that followed. Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals were nothing short of the underdogs. Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, were stacked and far more convincing through the season as the team built to win the final. Yet, chasing 164, the match came down to 1 run off 1 ball needed for RR to win. Warne had already covered half the pitch when striker Sohail Tanvir nudged the ball into the infield and ran. And with that one run, the fairytale victory in the first IPL final was cemented. 

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3rd: 2017 (Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant)

Mumbai Indians needed something exceptional to defend their meagre 129 runs in this game. Rising Pune Supergiant required 11 runs off the final over, which came down to 4 runs off 1 ball. They could only manage a scrambled two, falling short by a single run. Mitchell Johnson’s calm and Krunal Pandya’s 47 runs saved Mumbai from losing out on the last rung after a sensational campaign.

2nd: 2019 (Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings)

Chennai Super Kings’ chase of 150 came down to the last over with 9 runs needed off 6 balls, a manageable equation in most situations but far from straightforward in a final. The over kept shifting, and by the final delivery, CSK needed 2 runs off 1 ball. Lasith Malinga delivered a slower ball that trapped Shardul Thakur LBW, sealing a 1-run win. The match never broke open at any stage, which is what made the finish feel earned rather than dramatic for effect.

1st: 2023 (Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans)

2019 might be the iconic IPL final, but 2023 was where the drama was at. The revised target at this final was set at 171 in 15 overs, with Chennai Super Kings entered the final over needing 13 runs off 6 balls. The pressure condensed rapidly, and by the last two deliveries, the equation was 10 runs needed off 2 balls. Ravindra Jadeja hit a six followed by a four, bringing it down to 0 needed off 0 balls in the most abrupt finish on this list.