Best IPL Matches Ever in History of the Tournament

The IPL has produced hundreds of exciting matches, but only a few have become part of tournament history. Some were decided on the final ball, some went into Super Overs, and some became unforgettable because of a great individual performance under huge pressure.

Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020, the 2019 IPL final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, and the 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans are among the best IPL matches ever played.

This list is based on match drama, quality of cricket, pressure, importance of the game, comeback moments and how memorable the finish became.

10 Best IPL Matches Ever

These matches were special for different reasons. Some were finals, while others became classics because both teams kept fighting until the last delivery.

1. Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab – IPL 2020

The 2020 match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab is one of the strongest choices for the best IPL match ever because it needed two Super Overs to find a winner.

Mumbai batted first in Dubai and scored 176/6. Quinton de Kock made 53, while Kieron Pollard gave the innings a strong finish with an unbeaten 34 from only 12 balls.

Punjab's chase was led by KL Rahul. He scored 77 and kept KXIP in control for much of the innings, but Jasprit Bumrah removed him with a brilliant yorker in the 18th over.

Punjab still managed to finish on 176/6, meaning the match was tied.

The drama had only started.

The First Super Over Also Ended in a Tie

Kings XI Punjab batted first in the Super Over against Bumrah and managed only five runs.

That normally looked like a winning position for Mumbai.

Mohammed Shami then produced a superb over. Mumbai also managed only five, so even the Super Over finished level.

The match now needed a second Super Over.

This was almost unheard of in IPL cricket.

The Second Super Over Finally Decided the Match

Mumbai batted first in the second Super Over and scored 11.

Punjab then sent Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal to chase 12.

Gayle hit the first ball for six, immediately putting Punjab in control. Mayank then finished the job, and KXIP won one of the most dramatic matches in IPL history.

The match had 40 overs of normal cricket and then two Super Overs.

Very few IPL games have produced that level of tension for such a long period.

2. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2019 Final

The 2019 IPL final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings was decided by only one run.

Mumbai batted first and scored 149/8. It was not a huge total, but Kieron Pollard's unbeaten 41 helped MI reach a score they could defend.

CSK started the chase well but lost wickets in the middle overs.

Shane Watson kept them alive.

He played one of the best innings of the final, scoring 80 from 59 balls. Watson attacked strongly in the final overs and brought Chennai very close to the title.

The Last Over of the 2019 IPL Final

CSK needed nine runs from the final over.

Lasith Malinga had been expensive earlier in the match, but Rohit Sharma still trusted him with the final six balls.

Watson was run out with two balls remaining.

That left CSK needing two runs from the final delivery.

Malinga bowled a slower ball to Shardul Thakur. Thakur missed it and was given lbw.

Mumbai won by one run and lifted their fourth IPL title.

A final between MI and CSK, a one-run margin and a title decided on the final delivery made this one of the greatest IPL matches ever.

Jasprit Bumrah's Spell Was Just as Important

Bumrah finished with 2/14 from four overs.

In a match where every run mattered, conceding only 14 runs was a huge performance.

He bowled 13 dot balls and did not concede a boundary.

Watson almost stole the final for Chennai, but Bumrah's control gave Mumbai enough runs to defend at the end.

3. Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans – IPL 2023 Final

The IPL 2023 final produced one of the most famous last-ball finishes in tournament history.

Gujarat Titans batted first and scored 214/4. Sai Sudharsan played a brilliant innings of 96 from 47 balls, while Wriddhiman Saha made 54.

Rain then interrupted the match.

CSK's target was changed to 171 from 15 overs under the DLS method.

CSK Kept Up With a Difficult Required Rate

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway gave Chennai a fast start.

Conway made 47 from 25 balls, Gaikwad scored 26 from 16, and Ajinkya Rahane added a quick 27.

Ambati Rayudu, playing his final IPL game, scored 19 from eight balls.

The chase kept moving, but Gujarat continued taking wickets at important moments.

MS Dhoni was dismissed first ball, leaving the final job to Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube.

Ravindra Jadeja Won the Final From an Almost Impossible Position

CSK needed 13 runs from the final over.

Mohit Sharma bowled four excellent yorkers and gave away only three runs from the first four balls.

That meant Chennai needed 10 from the final two deliveries.

Jadeja hit the fifth ball over long-on for six.

Four were now required from the final ball.

Mohit bowled a low full toss on the pads, and Jadeja flicked it fine for four.

CSK won the title on the final delivery and became five-time IPL champions.

Few IPL finishes can match the pressure and drama of Jadeja scoring ten runs from the last two balls of a final.

4. Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant – IPL 2017 Final

The 2017 IPL final was another one-run classic involving Mumbai Indians.

Mumbai struggled badly with the bat and managed only 129/8.

Krunal Pandya rescued the innings with 47, but Pune still looked to be in a strong position at the halfway stage.

Rising Pune Supergiant had already beaten Mumbai several times during the season and appeared close to doing it again in the final.

Ajinkya Rahane scored 44, while Steve Smith made 51.

Mumbai Turned the Match Around at the Death

Pune needed 23 from the last two overs.

The target was still very achievable.

The match then moved to seven required from five balls.

Manoj Tiwary went for a big shot and was caught at long-on.

On the next ball, Steve Smith also found a boundary fielder.

Suddenly, Mumbai had control.

RPS finished on 128/6, one run short of Mumbai's 129.

MI won their third IPL title by the smallest possible run margin.

Why the 2017 Final Was Special

Mumbai did not win because of a huge total or one explosive batting performance.

They won through pressure bowling.

Defending 129 in an IPL final looked extremely difficult, but Mitchell Johnson and Jasprit Bumrah kept the chase under control.

That made the win even more memorable.

5. Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2014 Qualifier 2

This match is remembered because it produced two unbelievable batting performances in the same game.

Kings XI Punjab batted first at the Wankhede Stadium.

Virender Sehwag produced one of the greatest IPL playoff innings, smashing 122 and helping Punjab post 226.

A target of 227 looked huge.

Suresh Raina then made it look very small.

Suresh Raina Scored 87 From Only 25 Balls

Raina attacked almost every Punjab bowler.

CSK reached 100 runs inside the six-over powerplay, with Raina himself on 87 from only 25 balls.

He hit 12 fours and six sixes.

At that stage, Chennai looked capable of chasing 227 comfortably.

Then came the turning point.

Raina was run out from the first ball of the seventh over.

The entire match changed.

Punjab Recovered After Raina's Run-Out

Once Raina was gone, CSK could not maintain the same speed.

Punjab slowed the chase and kept taking wickets.

Chennai eventually lost by 24 runs.

The match is remembered because Sehwag's 122 would normally have been the only great innings people talked about.

Raina almost produced an even more incredible chase in reply.

6. Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2008 Final

The first IPL final was also one of the closest finals in tournament history.

Chennai Super Kings scored 163/5.

Rajasthan Royals then chased 164 under huge pressure.

Yusuf Pathan played the main innings for Rajasthan, scoring 56 and keeping his team in the chase.

The match went all the way to the final over.

Rajasthan needed runs from the final ball and completed the chase to finish on 164/7, winning the first IPL trophy by three wickets.

The fact that the very first IPL season ended with a last-ball final helped create the tournament's reputation for dramatic finishes.

Rajasthan's 2008 Title Was Already a Great Story

Rajasthan had not been expected to dominate the tournament before the season.

They did not have the biggest collection of superstar names.

Under Shane Warne, however, they became the most consistent team in the competition.

Winning the final off the last ball against CSK was the perfect finish to that season.

7. Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2019

RCB beat CSK by one run in 2019 after MS Dhoni nearly completed an impossible final-over chase.

RCB batted first and made 161/7.

CSK's chase started badly.

Dale Steyn removed Shane Watson and Suresh Raina in the first over, and Chennai later fell to 28/4.

Dhoni then started rebuilding the innings.

Dhoni Nearly Won the Match From 26 Needed in the Final Over

Dhoni reached the final over with CSK needing 26 runs.

Umesh Yadav had the ball.

Dhoni scored 4, 6, 6, 2 and 6 from the first five deliveries.

That meant CSK had scored 24 from the over and needed only two from the final ball.

Dhoni missed the last delivery.

Shardul Thakur tried to steal a bye, but Parthiv Patel hit the stumps and ran him out.

RCB won by one run.

Dhoni finished unbeaten on 84 from 48 balls.

Why This Match Is Still Remembered

CSK looked completely out of the match at 28/4.

Even before the final over, RCB seemed to have done enough.

Dhoni changed everything.

Going from 26 needed off six balls to two needed from one is one of the best examples of why an IPL match is never over until the last delivery.

8. Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – IPL 2022

Gujarat Titans produced one of the greatest final-over chases in IPL history against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022.

SRH scored 195/6.

Gujarat started well in reply, but Umran Malik completely changed the chase.

The fast bowler took five wickets, including Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya and Wriddhiman Saha.

GT eventually needed 35 runs from the final 12 balls.

22 Runs Were Needed From the Final Over

Rahul Tewatia attacked in the 19th over and kept Gujarat alive.

They still needed 22 from six balls.

Tewatia hit the first ball for six.

Rashid Khan then took over.

Rashid hit three sixes during the over, including the winning six from the final delivery.

Gujarat completed a last-ball chase that had looked almost impossible only a few minutes earlier.

Umran Malik Still Finished With Five Wickets

The result made the match even more unusual.

Umran Malik had produced one of the best fast-bowling spells of the season.

He took five wickets and almost won the game for Hyderabad.

Yet Tewatia and Rashid managed to beat SRH from a position where Gujarat looked finished.

Both the bowling spell and the final-over hitting made the game memorable.

9. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2018

CSK's comeback match in IPL 2018 became an instant classic.

Chennai were returning to the IPL after missing the previous two seasons.

Mumbai Indians scored 165/4 at the Wankhede Stadium.

CSK's chase then collapsed.

They slipped to 75/5 and later 118/8.

At that stage, Mumbai looked certain to win.

Dwayne Bravo Changed the Match

Bravo refused to give up.

He attacked Mitchell McClenaghan and then hit Jasprit Bumrah for three sixes in one over.

Suddenly, Chennai were back in the game.

Bravo was finally dismissed on the last ball of the 19th over after scoring a brilliant 68.

CSK still needed seven runs from the final over with only one wicket left.

Kedar Jadhav, who had earlier retired hurt, returned to the crease.

He hit a six and then a four to finish the chase with one ball remaining.

CSK won by one wicket.

Why the 2018 Opener Meant More to CSK

This was not just another league match.

It was Chennai's first IPL game after returning to the competition.

They were playing against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede and looked completely beaten.

Bravo's innings and Jadhav's return created one of the most emotional comeback wins in CSK history.

10. Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – IPL 2019

Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad produced another Super Over thriller at Wankhede in 2019.

Mumbai scored 162/5, led by Quinton de Kock's unbeaten 69.

SRH then also finished on 162/6.

Manish Pandey was the main reason Hyderabad forced the tie.

SRH needed six from the final ball, and Pandey hit Hardik Pandya for six to send the match into a Super Over.

Mumbai Won the Super Over Quickly

SRH batted first in the Super Over.

Manish Pandey was run out from the first ball, while Mohammad Nabi hit one six before Jasprit Bumrah bowled him.

Hyderabad managed eight.

Mumbai needed nine to win.

Hardik Pandya hit Rashid Khan's first ball straight for six, and MI completed the chase in only three deliveries.

The main match had gone to the final ball, and the Super Over then ended almost immediately.

What Makes a Great IPL Match?

A great IPL match does not always need 400 total runs.

Some of the best games have been low-scoring.

The 2017 final is a perfect example. Mumbai scored only 129, but the match remained alive until the last ball.

Pressure is often more important than total runs.

If both teams still have a real chance to win in the final over, the match becomes much more exciting.

Last-Ball Finishes Make IPL Matches Special

Several matches in this list were decided on the final delivery.

The 2023 final ended with Jadeja hitting four.

Gujarat beat SRH in 2022 with Rashid Khan hitting a six.

The 2008 final went to the final ball.

RCB's one-run win over CSK in 2019 also came down to the final delivery.

This is one reason IPL has produced so many memorable matches.

Best IPL Final Ever

There are several strong choices, but the 2019 final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings has one of the best cases.

The title was decided by one run.

Watson almost completed the chase despite batting through pressure and physical discomfort, while Bumrah bowled a brilliant spell.

Malinga then defended two runs from the final ball.

The 2023 final is another strong contender because Jadeja needed ten from the final two balls and completed the chase.

Both finals delivered maximum pressure until the final delivery.

Best Super Over Match in IPL History

The MI vs Kings XI Punjab match in IPL 2020 stands above other Super Over games because one Super Over was not enough.

The regulation match was tied at 176.

The first Super Over was also tied.

Punjab finally won in the second Super Over.

It remains one of the most unusual and dramatic matches the IPL has produced.

Best IPL Comeback Match

CSK's win over Mumbai Indians in 2018 is one of the best comeback victories.

At 118/8, they looked almost finished.

Bravo then attacked some of Mumbai's best bowlers and gave Chennai another chance.

Kedar Jadhav returned despite injury and completed the chase.

Another great comeback was RCB vs CSK in 2019, although Dhoni's incredible fightback ended one run short.

Best Individual Performance in a Great IPL Match

Suresh Raina's 87 from 25 balls against Kings XI Punjab in 2014 remains one of the most explosive innings played in a major IPL match.

CSK were chasing 227 in a playoff.

Raina nearly made the target look easy.

His run-out changed the entire contest.

Shane Watson's 80 in the 2019 final, Jadeja's last two balls in 2023 and Dwayne Bravo's 68 in 2018 are other performances that became part of IPL history.

Best IPL Matches Between MI and CSK

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have produced several classic matches.

The 2019 final is the biggest example.

The 2018 season opener was another thriller, with CSK winning by one wicket.

The rivalry has included finals, playoff matches, last-over chases and great individual performances.

That is why MI vs CSK is often seen as one of the biggest rivalries in the IPL.

Best IPL Matches Between RCB and CSK

RCB and CSK have also produced several dramatic games.

The 2019 one-run RCB win is one of the most memorable because Dhoni almost scored 26 runs in the final over.

CSK's 2018 chase of 206 against RCB was another excellent game. Ambati Rayudu scored 82, while Dhoni made an unbeaten 70 and finished the chase with a six.

Matches between these teams often carry extra pressure because of the star players and large fan bases.

Why Finals Appear So Often on This List

A close league match is exciting.

A close final is different.

Every ball can decide the entire season.

That pressure makes the 2019, 2023, 2017 and 2008 finals more memorable than many normal league games with similar finishes.

Players are not only trying to win one match. They are trying to win the IPL trophy.

Have Recent IPL Seasons Produced Better Matches?

Modern IPL games are generally higher scoring because batting has become more aggressive.

Teams have deeper batting orders, and power-hitters attack earlier.

That has created some extraordinary chases.

However, the best IPL matches are not defined only by runs.

Older games such as the 2008 final and the 2017 final remain classics because the match stayed close until the last ball.

The tournament has produced great matches in every era.

FAQs

What is the best IPL match ever?

Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020 is one of the strongest choices because the match was tied and then needed two Super Overs before Punjab finally won.

Which was the best IPL final ever?

The 2019 final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is one of the best IPL finals. MI won by only one run on the final ball.

Which IPL match had two Super Overs?

Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab played two Super Overs in IPL 2020 after both the normal match and first Super Over ended level.

Which IPL final was won on the last ball?

CSK won the 2023 IPL final on the last ball when Ravindra Jadeja hit Mohit Sharma for four.

Which IPL final was won by one run?

Mumbai Indians beat Chennai Super Kings by one run in the 2019 final. MI also beat Rising Pune Supergiant by one run in the 2017 final.

What is one of the greatest IPL chases?

Gujarat Titans' 2022 chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad is one of the best. GT needed 22 runs from the final over and won on the last ball.

Which IPL match is famous for Suresh Raina's 87?

Raina scored 87 from 25 balls against Kings XI Punjab in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014 while CSK were chasing 227.

Which CSK comeback against MI is one of the best IPL matches?

CSK's 2018 season-opening win at Wankhede is one of their greatest comebacks. They recovered from 118/8 to win by one wicket.

Which IPL match did Dhoni almost win with 26 needed in the last over?

RCB vs CSK in IPL 2019. Dhoni scored 24 runs from the first five balls of the final over, but RCB won by one run.

Which team won the first IPL final?

Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in the 2008 IPL final.

Sources

• IPLT20 – Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab, Double Super Over – IPL 2020
  View official IPL match report
• IPLT20 – Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2019 Final
  View official IPL final report
• IPLT20 – Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans – IPL 2023 Final
  View official IPL final report
• IPLT20 – Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant – IPL 2017 Final
  View official IPL final report
• IPLT20 – Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 2014 Qualifier 2
  View official IPL match report