Five times IPL champions Mumbai Indians have also finished at the bottom multiple times
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular sports tournaments in the world. Therefore, every team does its best not to finish at the bottom of the table stage, given that it is an embarrassment. After all, the management spends crores on famous players and facilities to support the team for a victory. Unfortunately, some IPL teams have finished at the bottom not once but multiple times.
In the following paragraphs, let us look at the teams who have worn the crown of embarrassment on multiple occasions.
Delhi Capitals, formerly known as Delhi Daredevils, has finished at the bottom of the IPL in four different seasons—the maximum by a team in the IPL’s history. 2018 was the last time Delhi Capitals finished at the bottom, winning only five out of 14 matches.
In 2014, the team played 14 games but lost 12 and won only four, scoring four points. A year before that, the team played 16 matches but lost 13 and won only three, scoring six points. 2011 was another poor season for Delhi Daredevils when the team languished at the bottom with only four wins out of 14 games and lost as many as nine.
Punjab Kings, earlier known as Kings XI Punjab, finished at the bottom for the first time in the 2010 IPL season. In 14 matches, Punjab won only four and lost 10, scoring eight points.
The second time was a considerable embarrassment for Punjab because, in 2014, the team finished as the runner-up of the tournament by facing a defeat in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the following year, in 2015, Punjab finished at the bottom, losing 11 matches out of 14 and winning only three games.
In 2016, Punjab once again finished at the bottom of the table, losing 10 games out of 14 and winning only four. Apart from Delhi, Punjab is the second team to finish at the bottom in two consecutive seasons.
It is quite a shocker to mention Mumbai Indian on this unfortunate listicle. After all, Mumbai Indians have lifted the IPL trophy five times and is one of the most dominant teams in tourney’s history. However, in two seasons, the team finished last.
In 2022, for the first time since 2008, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table, scoring only eight points by winning four matches out of 14. However, Mumbai being Mumbai found its feet in 2023 and made it to the playoffs.
Despite the success Mumbai Indians enjoyed under Rohit Sharma, the management handed over the captaincy to Hardik Pandya in 2024. The decision turned out to be a disaster as Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table for the second time, losing 10 out of 14 matches and winning only four.
Apart from Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the other two teams that have finished at the bottom of the IPL twice. Sunrisers Hyderabad finished at the bottom in 2021 and 2023, whereas Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended at the bottom in 2017 and 2019.
