CSK at Wankhede, 2008. Photo: Ashwin John, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Every IPL Champion, 2008–2025: Dynasties, Upsets and Firsts
Eighteen seasons, eight different champions and two five-time dynasties. Here's the story of every IPL final, from Shane Warne's underdogs to RCB's long-awaited breakthrough.
The IPL has crowned a champion every year since 2008. Two franchises, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, have five titles each and dominate the list. Around them are some of the best stories in modern cricket: a team of unknowns winning the first season, a debutant franchise winning at the first attempt, and RCB's 17-year wait coming to an end.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 3 wickets | Shane Warne |
| 2009 | Deccan Chargers | Royal Challengers | Won by 6 runs | Adam Gilchrist |
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | Mumbai Indians | Won by 22 runs | MS Dhoni |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Royal Challengers | Won by 58 runs | MS Dhoni |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 5 wickets | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2013 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 23 runs | Rohit Sharma |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kings XI Punjab | Won by 3 wickets | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2015 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 41 runs | Rohit Sharma |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Royal Challengers | Won by 8 runs | David Warner |
| 2017 | Mumbai Indians | Rising Pune Supergiant | Won by 1 run | Rohit Sharma |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | MS Dhoni |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 1 run | Rohit Sharma |
| 2020 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Won by 5 wickets | Rohit Sharma |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 27 runs | MS Dhoni |
| 2022 | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Won by 7 wickets | Hardik Pandya |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Won by 5 wickets (DLS) | MS Dhoni |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | Shreyas Iyer |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Punjab Kings | Won by 6 runs | Rajat Patidar |
2008–2009: The underdogs
Nobody tipped Rajasthan Royals in the first season. They had one of the cheapest squads, but they also had Shane Warne as captain and coach, and he got the best out of a group of little-known players. They beat Chennai off the last ball of the first final in Navi Mumbai. A year later, with the tournament moved to South Africa, Deccan Chargers went from last place to champions under Adam Gilchrist.
2010–2015: Chennai, Kolkata and the rise of Mumbai
Chennai won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and set the template for consistency under MS Dhoni. Kolkata, led by Gautam Gambhir, won in 2012 and again in 2014, with Manish Pandey's 94 settling the 2014 final. In between, Mumbai won their first title in 2013 under a new captain, Rohit Sharma, and added a second in 2015.
2016–2020: Mumbai's golden run
Sunrisers Hyderabad won in 2016 behind David Warner's batting and a disciplined bowling attack, beating an RCB side that had Kohli at the peak of his record 973-run season. After that it was mostly Mumbai. They won in 2017, 2019 and 2020, two of those finals by a single run, with Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga defending small totals at the death.
Chennai came back from a two-year suspension to win in 2018, helped by Shane Watson's unbeaten hundred in the final. The 2020 season was played entirely in the UAE because of the pandemic.
2021–2025: New faces at the top
Chennai won a fourth title in 2021 and a fifth in 2023. The 2023 final went to a reserve day, and Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and a four off the last two balls to win it. In between, Gujarat Titans won the 2022 title in their very first season, captained by Hardik Pandya.
Kolkata claimed a third crown in 2024, crushing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final in Chennai. Then, in 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally won it all, beating Punjab Kings by six runs in Ahmedabad. Read the full story.
Titles by franchise
- 5: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020), Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023)
- 3: Kolkata Knight Riders (2012, 2014, 2024)
- 1: Rajasthan Royals (2008), Deccan Chargers (2009), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016), Gujarat Titans (2022), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025)
- Still waiting: Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants
Did you know? Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni have each captained five title-winning sides. Rohit also won a sixth IPL title as a player, with Deccan Chargers in 2009.