Complete IPL Winners List (2008-2025): Every Champion Revealed
RCB celebrate IPL 2025 title win (Source: AFP)
The Evolution of the Indian Premier League
Eighteen years ago, the launch of the IPL in 2008 introduced the T20 format in an unprecedented style on the global cricket horizon. It dramatically shifted cricket from the traditional shadows of Test matches and One Day Internationals (ODIs) to the fast-paced, modern dynamics of the shortest format. The IPL emerged as a league in a class of its own, blending high-profile glamour with relentless, top-tier cricket.
The tournament started with eight teams in the inaugural edition in 2008. The team count was later increased to 10 franchises before being reduced to nine in 2013. By 2016, the tournament returned to an eight-team format. The temporary suspensions of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) saw the brief entry of Gujarat Lions (GL) and Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) to keep the competition fierce.
The subsequent return of CSK and RR marked the exit of GL and RPS. The league continued with eight teams until 2021, before permanently expanding to a 10-team tournament from 2022 onwards. While some participating franchises have dominated the tournament throughout these 18 years, others have had to endure long waits to lift their first-ever trophy. Below is the comprehensive year-by-year breakdown of the complete winners list from 2008 to the latest edition in 2025.
The Year-by-Year IPL Winners List (2008-2025)
2008 – Rajasthan Royals
Led by the legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne, the Rajasthan Royals started the inaugural 2008 season as clear underdogs. Their campaign began on a tough note with a nine-wicket defeat against the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). However, they bounced back spectacularly, winning 11 of their remaining league matches and losing only three. In the semi-finals, they avenged their early loss by thrashing the Daredevils by 105 runs. The Royals then secured the historic first-ever IPL championship by defeating Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in a thrilling final.
2009 – Deccan Chargers
After a disappointing run in the first season, the Deccan Chargers staged a magnificent comeback in 2009. They qualified for the semi-finals on net run rate, finishing level on wins and losses (seven wins, seven defeats) with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). In the semi-final, they defeated table-toppers Delhi Daredevils by six wickets. The Chargers then clinched the title by holding their nerve against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a tense final, winning by a narrow margin of six runs.
2010 – Chennai Super Kings
Following a runner-up finish in 2008, the 2010 season marked the beginning of Chennai Super Kings’ legendary dominance in the tournament. CSK had a mixed league stage, scraping into the knockouts with seven wins and seven losses. However, they found their peak form when it mattered most. In the semi-finals, they outplayed the defending champions Deccan Chargers by 38 runs. CSK then claimed their first-ever IPL trophy by defeating Mumbai Indians by 22 runs in the final, initiating one of cricket’s most iconic rivalries.
2011 – Chennai Super Kings
The 2011 season was another year of absolute dominance for Chennai Super Kings. The reigning champions finished second in the league stage, winning nine games and losing five out of 14 fixtures. Notably, this was the first IPL edition to introduce the ‘playoff’ format instead of traditional semi-finals. CSK defeated RCB by six wickets in the first qualifier to seal a spot in the final. Although RCB fought back to qualify via the second qualifier, CSK proved too strong in the title clash, securing consecutive IPL trophies. Under MS Dhoni’s leadership, CSK became the first team to defend their IPL title successfully.
2012 – Kolkata Knight Riders
Gautam Gambhir led the Kolkata Knight Riders to a second-place finish in the 2012 league stage, securing 10 wins, five losses, and one no-result match. In the playoffs, KKR defeated the Delhi Capitals by 18 runs in the first qualifier to reach their first-ever final. They faced the formidable defending champions, CSK, who were making their third consecutive final appearance. Gambhir’s side played exceptionally well to stop CSK’s hat-trick bid, chasing down the target to win by five wickets and lift their maiden IPL title.
2013 – Mumbai Indians
The 2013 season was a landmark year for Mumbai Indians, featuring a mid-season captaincy transition from Ricky Ponting to Rohit Sharma. Under Rohit’s inspiring leadership, MI finished second in the league stage with 11 wins and five defeats. They defeated the two-time champions, CSK, by 48 runs in the first qualifier to reach the final. In a rematch of the qualifier, Mumbai Indians defeated the yellow army by 23 runs in the final to lift their first-ever IPL trophy, spoiling CSK’s record fifth final appearance.
2014 – Kolkata Knight Riders
After failing to defend their title in 2013, KKR returned to the winner’s circle in the tournament’s seventh edition. Led again by Gautam Gambhir, the team finished second in the league stage with nine wins and five defeats. KKR defeated Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs in the first qualifier. The final saw a high-scoring battle against the same opponent, where KKR chased down the target successfully to win by three wickets, securing their second IPL title.
2015 – Mumbai Indians
The 2015 edition renewed the intense rivalry between CSK and MI, who finished in the top two spots of the table with 18 and 16 points respectively. MI defeated CSK by 25 runs in the first qualifier, but CSK fought back by defeating RCB in the second qualifier to set up another grand final. Replicating their 2013 performance, Mumbai Indians dominated the final against CSK, winning by 41 runs to secure their second IPL championship.
2016 – Sunrisers Hyderabad
With the temporary suspension of RR and CSK, two new franchises, Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants, entered the fold in 2016. However, it was David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad that captured everyone’s attention. Finishing third in the league stage with eight wins and six losses, SRH took the hard route to the final. They defeated KKR by 22 runs in the Eliminator and then overthrew Gujarat Lions by four wickets in the second qualifier. In the final, they clinched a thrilling eight-run victory against RCB to lift their maiden IPL title, becoming the first team in IPL history to win the trophy after playing the Eliminator.
2017 – Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians dominated the 2017 league stage, finishing as table-toppers with 10 wins and four defeats. In a highly competitive playoff run, MI faced off against the Rising Pune Supergiants in the first qualifier, where Rohit’s men secured a 20-run victory to march into the final. The final proved to be an absolute thriller, where Mumbai Indians defended a modest total, winning by a single run to secure their third IPL title and become the most successful team in the tournament’s history at that point.
2018 – Chennai Super Kings
The 11th edition of the IPL marked the emotional return of the Chennai Super Kings after a two-year ban. MS Dhoni’s team made an immediate impact, finishing second in the league stage with nine wins and five defeats. CSK earned a direct ticket to the final after a hard-fought two-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first qualifier. In the grand finale, they faced SRH once again, securing a comfortable eight-wicket win to claim their third title and equal Mumbai Indians’ record.
2019 – Mumbai Indians
The 2019 season saw MI and CSK locking horns at the top of the table yet again, both finishing with 18 points in the league stage. MI defeated CSK by six wickets in the first qualifier. CSK then booked their spot in the final with a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the second qualifier. In one of the most dramatic finals in cricket history, Mumbai Indians held their nerve to defeat CSK by just one run, securing their fourth IPL title and reclaiming the crown as the tournament’s most successful franchise.
2020 – Mumbai Indians
Played under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was suspended midway through the year before resuming in October and November in the UAE. Mumbai Indians maintained their dominant run, topping the league stage with nine wins and five defeats. They defeated Delhi Capitals by 57 runs in the first qualifier. In the final, Rohit Sharma’s side cruised to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Delhi with eight balls to spare, successfully defending their crown and capturing a record-extending fifth IPL title.
2021 – Chennai Super Kings
After a disappointing 2020 season, Chennai Super Kings returned to champion form in 2021. Finishing second in the league stage with nine wins and five defeats, they faced Delhi Capitals in the first qualifier, winning by four wickets. In the final, MS Dhoni’s men registered a comfortable 27-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, adding a fourth IPL title to their legendary cabinet.
2022 – Gujarat Titans
The 2022 season welcomed two new franchises, and the Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans took the tournament by storm in their debut year. GT finished at the top of the table with 10 wins and four defeats. In the first qualifier, they defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets. They repeated the exact result in the final, defeating the Royals by seven wickets to lift the prestigious trophy in their very first season.
2023 – Chennai Super Kings
The defending champions Gujarat Titans dominated the league stage again in 2023, closely followed by Chennai Super Kings, who finished second with eight wins, five losses, and one no-result. CSK defeated GT by 15 runs in the first qualifier to reach the final. In a rain-interrupted, dramatic final, Ravindra Jadeja hit a boundary off the final ball to seal a sensational five-wicket victory for CSK, securing their fifth IPL title and equaling Mumbai Indians’ record.
2024 – Kolkata Knight Riders
After a ten-year wait, the Kolkata Knight Riders dominated the 2024 season from start to finish. They ended the league stage on top of the table with nine wins and three defeats. KKR systematically dismantled Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first qualifier, winning by eight wickets. In the final, they produced another clinical performance, defeating SRH by the same eight-wicket margin to lift their third IPL trophy.
2025 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
After 17 years of heartbreak and near-misses across 18 seasons since the tournament’s inception in 2008, the 2025 season finally belonged to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. RCB finished second in the league stage, registering nine wins, four defeats, and one no-result match. In the first qualifier, they registered an assertive eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings. The two teams met again in a high-stakes final, where RCB held their nerve to win by six runs, clinching their historic, maiden IPL title and sparking nationwide celebrations.
