Five finals, five unforgettable finishes — when the margin for glory was thinner than a hair’s breadth
There’s something different about the pressure in an IPL final. The weight of a long season, the roars from the stands, and the knowledge that a single run—yes, just one—can swing the trophy either way.
While some champions have marched to the podium with ease, a handful have had to claw their way there, one dot ball at a time. Let’s rewind the clock and relive those nail-biting moments when the IPL final was decided by the slimmest of margins.
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Mumbai Indians know a thing or two about nail-biters. But in the 2017 final, they pushed it to the edge — and then some. Facing the Rising Pune Supergiant, MI were bundled out for just 129. Krunal Pandya’s 47 was the only knock that showed some fight. Pune, led by Steve Smith and anchored by Ajinkya Rahane, looked set to cruise.
But cometh the hour, cometh the bowlers. Mitchell Johnson (3/26) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/26) bowled their hearts out. With 11 needed off the last over and seven from the last three balls, Johnson held his nerve. He dismissed Smith and Dan Christian in a frantic finish. One run. That’s all that stood between agony and ecstasy.
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Two years later, Mumbai replicated the feat — once more by 1 run. This time, it was against the ever-consistent Chennai Super Kings. Kieron Pollard’s 41* guided MI to 149, a total that seemed slightly below par.
However, the real drama was reserved for the deathovers. Shane Watson propelled CSK with a scintillating 80, yet a brilliant final over from Lasith Malinga turned the match into a nail-biter. With 2 runs needed from 1 ball, Malinga bowled a slower yorker that trapped Shardul Thakur. Mumbai had accomplished it. Again.
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The 2008 IPL final was a scriptwriter’s dream. Rajasthan Royals, initially written off, faced star-studded Chennai Super Kings. Batting first, CSK, backed by Suresh Raina’s 43 and Parthiv Patel’s start, posted 163/5—a competitive total at DY Patil Stadium.
The Royals stumbled but found their hero in Yusuf Pathan, who scored 56 off 39 balls and contributed with 3/22 bowling. With the match close, Sohail Tanvir and Niraj Patel needed 8 off the last over from Lakshmipathy Balaji.
Tanvir’s clever running reduced it to 1 off the final ball. He calmly nudged a single, sealing a dramatic 3-wicket victory. Led by Shane Warne, Rajasthan crafted the ultimate underdog story in style, off the last ball.
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The final of 2016 was a boundary-fest. Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed 208 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. David Warner led the charge with 69 runs, while Ben Cutting’s late cameo of 39* proved invaluable.
RCB started like a freight train. Chris Gayle went ballistic with 76, Kohli contributed with 54, and the title looked to be theirs. However, SRH’s bowlers pulled the match back — over by over, ball by ball. From 140/1 to 200/7, the Orange Army triumphed by just 8 runs.
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In South Africa, beneath overcast skies at the Wanderers, the Deccan Chargers faced RCB. With Herschelle Gibbs anchoring with 53*, the Chargers held their ground. Their score of 143 appeared to be a warm-up target for Bangalore. However, Andrew Symonds (2/18) and Pragyan Ojha (3/28) had different plans. The ball gripped, wickets fell, and nerves were tested.
RCB (137/9) fell 6 runs short. It may not have been a one-run thriller, but it served as a 6-run reminder that every run counts when the silverware is at stake.
