IPL 2022 Playoffs: Top 4 teams with most playoff games in the league
The IPL 2022 concluded on Sunday (May 29) with the Gujarat Titans (GT) scripting a fairytale title triumph in their debut season. In front of a ballistic crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Hardik Pandya-led Titans outfit defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets.
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Incidentally, the Royals are the only other franchise to have tasted glory in their debut season, which happened to be the very first edition of the IPL as well. They haven't made a regular appearance in the playoffs, however, often having blown hot and cold over the years.
The first three seasons of the IPL saw the league phase followed by the semifinals and the final. It was in 2011 though that the competition turned to the playoff format, with the top two teams in the league phase getting two bites at the cherry to make the summit clash.
We take a look at the teams that have played the most playoff matches in the history of the IPL. This also includes the semifinals of the first three seasons of the competition.
#4 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - 13 matches
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made their first playoff appearance in the IPL in 2011, under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. Having flattered to deceive in the first three editions of the tournament, KKR's fortunes were revived for good with Gambhir proving to be their talisman.
While KKR lost the 2011 Eliminator to the Mumbai Indians (MI), they went on to finish second in the table the following year before clinching their maiden IPL crown. Gambhir would lead the Knight Riders to yet another title in 2014, having won nine games on the trot to do so.
Overall, KKR have appeared in 13 playoff games, winning nine of them, including two finals. Their last playoff appearance came in 2021, where they lost the final to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 27 runs.
#3 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) - 15 matches
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) may have a barren trophy cabinet but they have made the playoffs eight times in the 15 seasons of the IPL. To that end, their consistency has hit a peak in recent times, having made the playoffs in the last three seasons.
RCB had a disappointing first season but turned it around the following year to make their maiden appearance in the final. They managed to make the summit clash of the 2011 edition as well while the year in between saw them lose the semifinal to the Mumbai Indians.
Incidentally, 2010 was the only season wherein a third-place playoff game was contested. RCB got the better of the erstwhile Deccan Chargers to seal a spot in the now-defunct Champions League T20.
In all, the Royal Challengers have contested 15 playoff matches but have won just six of those. Incidentally, they have not won two consecutive playoff matches in a season till date.
#2 Mumbai Indians (MI) - 18 matches
The most successful team in IPL history, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have won a record five titles over the years. While it took them six seasons to taste glory for the first time, they managed to make it a habit in the years to come.
MI's first playoff appearance came in 2010, when the Sachin Tendulkar-led side dominated the league phase before making the summit clash. While they couldn't cross the final hurdle, MI made their presence felt consistently in the playoffs before pocketing the coveted trophy for fun.
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MI have contested 18 playoff games in total, winning as many as 12 of those that include five finals. Their last appearance in the playoffs came in 2020, when they managed to successfully defend their title under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma.
#1 Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - 24 matches
Unsurprisingly, given their consistency over the years, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) top the list for the most appearances in the IPL playoffs. That they've managed to do so despite a two-year suspension in 2016 and 2017 is a testament to their consistency over time.
The Super Kings made the playoffs in each of their first ten seasons in the league before that proud streak was broken in 2020. The just-concluded 2022 season was their worst in the competition's history, as the four-time champions finished ninth with just eight points, just ahead of MI on the basis of net run rate.
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Out of the 24 playoff games they've played, CSK have won 15. They have contested a record nine IPL finals, winning four, with the last of those coming in 2021, as the MS Dhoni-led outfit overcame Eoin Morgan's KKR.