The First-Ever IPL Final
The first-ever IPL final was played in 2008 between the Rajasthan Royals and the Chennai Super Kings. The match was played at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. Rajasthan Royals won the toss and decided to bat first. They managed to post a total of 164/7 in their 20 overs, thanks to a brilliant knock of 43 runs by Yusuf Pathan. In reply, Chennai Super Kings started off well but lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually restricted to 163/5, falling short by just one run. Rajasthan Royals became the first team to win the IPL, and Shane Warne, their captain, was named the player of the match.
The Miracle in Bangalore
The 2016 IPL final was played between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. It was a high-scoring encounter, with RCB setting a mammoth target of 209 runs for SRH to chase. In reply, SRH started poorly and were reduced to 29/2 in the fourth over. However, a brilliant knock of 68 runs by Ben Cutting and a quickfire cameo of 39 runs by David Warner helped SRH chase down the target with just one ball to spare. It was an incredible comeback from SRH, who had lost their previous two matches against RCB in the tournament. Ben Cutting was named the player of the match for his match-winning knock.
The Super Over Thriller
The 2019 IPL final was played between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The match was tied, with both teams scoring 149 runs in their allotted 20 overs. In the super over, MI managed to score nine runs, and CSK could only manage to score two runs, giving MI their fourth IPL title. It was an intense and nail-biting match, with both teams putting up a great fight. Jasprit Bumrah was named the player of the match for his excellent bowling performance, where he conceded just 14 runs in his four overs.
The Dream Come True
The 2014 IPL final was played between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. KKR won the toss and elected to bowl first. KXIP posted a mammoth total of 199/4 in their 20 overs, with Wriddhiman Saha scoring a brilliant century. In reply, KKR started poorly and were reduced to 10/2 in the third over. However, a magnificent knock of 94 runs by Manish Pandey helped KKR chase down the target with three balls to spare, and they lifted their second IPL trophy. Manish Pandey was named the player of the match for his match-winning knock.
