The Indian Premier League (IPL) is easily the best franchise-based cricket tournament in the world. The competition and the quality of cricket on offer are incomparable. IPL has seen many close encounters over the years. It has also witnessed many an epic choke. Teams have gone on to lose games from being in pole position. They have lost games they had no business losing.
StumpsandBails brings to you 5 epic chokes of all-time in the IPL:
#5 Rising Pune Supergiant vs Mumbai Indians, 2017
Mumbai Indians squared off against Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2017 final. This Maharashtra derby was one hell of a final. MI could muster just 129 runs batting first. The fact that they reached there was owing to Krunal Pandya’s handy contribution. The match seemed all over for MI at the halfway stage. RPS required 59 runs off 49 balls with 8 wickets in hand. But somehow they squandered the opportunity to close out the game. MI won a thrilling final just by a single run.
#4 Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab, 2020
Sunrisers Hyderabad put up a terrific bowling display to restrict Kings XI Punjab to a paltry 126. They got off to a terrific start smashing 52 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket. SRH needed 75 runs off 84 balls. But their chase nose-dived spectacularly. A couple of tame dismissals halted their scoring and SRH lost a match they should have ideally won. A team needing 27 to win in the last 4 overs with 7 wickets in hand went on to lose the game by 12 runs. Unbelievable!
#3 Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, 2019
The two best teams of the IPL faced off in the 2019 finals for the battle of supremacy. Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bat. They posted 149 runs batting first. Chennai Super Kings got off to a great start scoring 53 runs in the powerplay losing a single wicket. But their chase was soon derailed and they found themselves at 88-4 after 15 overs. Shane Watson then powered his way through and CSK required just 18 off 2 overs with 6 wickets in hand. It was expected that CSK will coast through but they choked and MI were crowned champions. MI won by 1 run!
#2 Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Capitals, 2019
Delhi Capitals were a team bursting with energy back in 2019. They didn’t have a calm head to take them to safer shores in midst of a crisis. Kings XI Punjab scraped their way through to 166 batting first. They were looking set for a huge total at the end of 14 overs having scored 120 and losing just 3 wickets. But they couldn’t add the final surge to the proceedings and ended with a below-par score. DC were well on their way in the chase at 144-3 in 16.3 overs. They required 23 runs in 21 balls. But they endured a horror collapse losing 7 wickets for 8 runs. DC were bowled out for 152 and Sam Curran picked up a hattrick to add insult to injury.
#1 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2016
Royal Challengers Bangalore were on a roll in IPL 2016. They were the first team to qualify for the IPL finals. Sunrisers Hyderabad on the other hand qualified for the finals through the eliminator and qualifier. It was expected to be a high-profile clash and the match lived up to its billing. SRH posted a score of 208-7 batting first. RCB were in a great position to close out the chase as they notched up 114 runs in 10.2 overs without losing a single wicket. But no sooner they lost Chris Gayle in the chase, the wheels came off. They tried their best but came up short against a spirited SRH side. RCB ended up with 200 on the board and lost the finals by 8 runs.
