They struck gold with the bat but walked away with silver, here’s a look at the greatest IPL final innings that ended in heartbreak
Scoring runs in an IPL final is challenging. With peak pressure, each shot matters, and every run is nerve-wracking. But what if your best isn’t enough? You raise your bat to a roaring crowd, only to see the opposition celebrate in the end.
IPL history is filled with masterful knocks in finals that lit up stadiums and rewrote scorecards, yet ended in defeat. These weren’t failures; they were fabulous innings only betrayed by fate or teammates who fell short.
Let’s revisit five heroic efforts that dazzled but didn’t win the cup.
Credit: ESPN
You wouldn’t expect a gritty wicketkeeper to unleash a storm in the final, but Wriddhiman Saha did for Kings XI Punjab in 2014.
Saha went ballistic against Kolkata Knight Riders in Bengaluru after a slow start, scoring an unbeaten 115 off 55 balls, with 10 fours and 8 sixes, propelling KXIP to a formidable 199/4.
His knock showcased pure rhythm—flicks, scoops, drives—using every shot in the book. However, the bowlers faltered. Manish Pandey led KKR’s thrilling chase, and the Knights won with 3 balls to spare.
Credit: Circle of Cricket
In a rain-hit 2023 final, Sai Sudharsan played a knock that screamed maturity and class. He was just 21 then, batting like a man with 200 games under his belt.
Facing CSK, he tore through the bowling attack, smacking 96 off 47 balls, including 8 fours and 6 sixes, powering Gujarat Titans to a strong 214/4. The crowd in Ahmedabad was roaring; the Titans seemed on track.
But rain gatecrashed the party. The target was revised under DLS, and CSK pulled off a last-ball win. Sai’s magical innings was left hanging—so close, yet so far.
Credit: Indian Express
Shane Watson looked like a man on a mission in the 2019 final. His bat spoke louder than ever as he struck 80 off 59 balls, keeping CSK in the chase of 150 against Mumbai Indians.
He fought through cramps, dived for twos, and even picked up cuts on his leg—but he kept going. He carried CSK to the brink.
But destiny slipped through the last run. CSK fell 1 run short, Watson was run out near the end, and MI claimed the title.
Credit: MyKhel
When Chris Gayle starts swinging, you sit up. And in the 2016 final, he was in full swing. In response to SRH’s 208, Gayle launched an assault on the bowlers, hitting 76 off 38 balls with 8 towering sixes.
RCB were flying. The scoreboard raced. But the moment Gayle departed, the brakes slammed on. The middle order stumbled, and SRH clawed back. Gayle had done his bit—but the rest couldn’t keep up.
RCB fell short by 8 runs, and the big man’s brilliant effort faded under the confetti of another team’s celebration.
Credit: ESPN
Suresh Raina was always CSK’s go-to man in big games, and in the 2012 final, he played one of his best. Taking on KKR, he hit 73 off just 38 balls, laced with 5 sixes, as CSK posted a strong 190/3.
His timing was sweet, his intent clear. The bowlers had runs to defend. But KKR’s top order had other ideas. Bisla’s counter-attack stole the spotlight, and KKR reached the target with 2 balls to spare.
Raina’s fireworks lit up the night—but not the trophy cabinet.
