M. Vijay's explosive century led Chennai to a formidable 222 for 5, as Delhi's bowlers struggled in 2012 qualifier 2
Over the years, the IPL playoffs have evolved in format. Initially, from 2008 to 2010, the top four teams contested in the semifinals, with a third-place playoff introduced in 2010. Since 2011, a new format favours the top two teams, featuring three playoff matches instead of two. In Qualifier 1, the top two teams compete, with the winner directly reaching the final, while the loser gets another chance in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator.
Despite the top two teams' advantage, the Eliminator winner has reached the final only three times in 11 editions, with one victory. Notably, high-scoring matches are standard, with the 2024 season witnessing 39 matches exceeding 200 runs. Here are the highest totals in IPL qualifiers since 2008.
Shubman Gill received praise from all corners, including the opposing captain, Rohit Sharma.
Gujarat Titans stormed into the IPL 2023 final with a spectacular 62-run victory over Mumbai Indians, powered by Shubman Gill's remarkable 129 off 60 balls. Despite a delayed start due to rain, the Titans set a daunting target of 233 for 3. Gill's explosive innings, his third century in four matches, showcased his dominance, propelling Titans to a commanding position.
Mumbai's chase faltered despite Suryakumar Yadav's valiant 61 off 38 balls. Thanks to Mohit Sharma's outstanding 5-for-10 bowling performance, Mumbai was unable to win, which also guaranteed the Titans' place in the final against Chennai Super Kings. In the final, Chennai Super Kings clinched their fifth IPL title.
In the IPL 2014 qualifier 2, Kings XI Punjab defeated Chennai Super Kings by 44 runs, securing their sixth win and reclaiming the top spot in the standings. Chasing 231, Chennai struggled after Dwayne Smith's early dismissal. Despite efforts from Suresh Raina and Brendon McCullum, they couldn't keep up with the required run rate.
Glenn Maxwell's bowling dismissed Raina, further hindering Chennai. Faf Du Plessis scored a quick 52, but CSK fell short by 44 runs, ending their six-match winning streak. This was CSK's second defeat in the tournament, both by Kings XI Punjab. Earlier, Maxwell, David Miller, and George Bailey helped Punjab reach a formidable total, with Maxwell scoring 90 runs.
M. Vijay led the charge as the Chennai Super Kings' batters plundered the Delhi Daredevils' bowling attack
Chennai Super Kings dominated Delhi Daredevils with an 86-run victory. M. Vijay's explosive century led Chennai to a formidable 222 for five as Delhi's bowlers struggled. Sunny Gupta conceded 47 runs in three overs, and Varun Aaron's four overs went for a record 63 runs. Contributions from Michael Hussey further bolstered Chennai's total.
Despite Mahela Jayawardene's half-century, Delhi's chase faltered with early dismissals of Virender Sehwag and David Warner. Chennai's sharp fielding added to Delhi's troubles, and Ross Taylor's brief resistance couldn't prevent their biggest defeat of the season. In the IPL final, Chennai faced Kolkata Knight Riders, who won their maiden IPL trophy.
Virat Kohli's jubilant celebration with a leap and a fist pump captures the essence of that winning feeling.
Royal Challengers Bangalore won against Lucknow Super Giants, with Rajat Patidar's remarkable unbeaten 112 off 54 balls leading the charge in the Eliminator in 2022. Despite being dropped in the 16th over, Patidar surged, scoring 40 off just 14 balls. Dinesh Karthik's contribution of 37* further bolstered RCB's total to 207/4. Lucknow's KL Rahul's conservative innings weren't enough to match RCB's late surge despite his 79 runs. Mohsin Khan and Harshal Patel impressed with identical figures of 4-0-25-1. Lucknow's chase, although promising initially, faltered as they fell short by 14 runs, unable to keep up with the required rate, ultimately succumbing to Harshal Patel's bowling prowess.
Rajasthan Royals secured a convincing victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2, winning seven wickets. However, GT emerged triumphant in the showdown against Gujarat Titans, claiming their maiden IPL trophy.
