IPL: Instances when table-toppers won the Tournament
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), finishing in the top two after the completion of the league phase matches gives an added advantage to a team to enter the finals. By ending up in those positions, the two teams play in the Qualifier 1, where a win gives direct entry into the summit clash, while a loss means they get another chance to play in Qualifier 2 to stake a claim in the finale. However, out of the 15 editions, only a few times teams has won the tournament after finishing in the number one spot in the points tally.
Let’s look at the instances when table-toppers won the IPL competition:
Rajasthan Royals (2008)
Late Shane Warne led Rajasthan Royals (RR) to an unbelievable title victory in the inaugural 2008 season. His side finished at the top of the table with 22 points. RR won 11 out of the 14 league stage matches. Tagged as the weakest team ahead of the start of the tournament, RR defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) in the semi-final and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the mega final.
Mumbai Indians (2017)
Mumbai Indians (MI) ended up on the top of the table with 20 points in 2017. Rohit Sharma and his men won ten out of the 14 league phase matches. After losing to Rising Pune Super Giants (RPS) in Qualifier 1, MI bounced back to beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 2. The mighty MI then took revenge as they beat RPS by just one run to win a thriller of a final which sealed their third title.
Mumbai Indians (2019)
After winning the title already three times, MI was back at it again in 2019. With nine victories and 18 points, they topped the table after the group stage. Previous season winners CSK met them in Qualifier 1 and they defeated the Men in Yellow to book their place in the finals. One more final appearance and one more thrilling win for MI as they won the clash against CSK again by just a solitary run to lift their fourth trophy.
Mumbai Indians (2020)
The most successful franchise, MI dominated the 2020 campaign as well. Again, with nine wins and 18 points, they topped the chart. They faced an in-form DC side in the first qualifier and defeated them by 57 runs to qualify for yet another final. It was the same opposition and the same venue as MI sealed the win by five wickets to claim a record fifth title.
Gujarat Titans (2022)
Gujarat Titans (GT) was one of the two franchises with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to make their debut in the IPL. And they surprised everyone by finishing at the top with 20 points. Hardik Pandya and his men won ten and lost only four matches in the group stage. They defeated RR in the first qualifier and then in the grand finale to win the trophy in their first season itself.
