Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League
Some teams struggle with form, injuries, or lack of balance and end up finishing at the bottom of the points table. While winning the title is every team’s dream, no one wants to be last. But out of the 17 IPL seasons so far, do you know which team has finished last the most times? If not, let’s find out now.
Across 17 seasons of the Indian Premier League, some teams have struggled to perform and ended up at the bottom of the points table. In total, there have been 9 such instances. Here are the top 5 teams that finished last the most times.
The team that comes first in the list of finishing last in the points table, the Delhi Capitals (earlier known as Delhi Daredevils), has had a tough time in the Indian T20 League as they hold the unwanted record of ending up at the bottom of the standings more times than any other team, struggling in several seasons with poor performances despite having talented players and experienced captains and in 2011, under Virender Sehwag’s leadership, Delhi Daredevils finished last with a disappointing record as they played 14 matches, winning just 4, losing 9, and having one match end without a result as this gave them 9 points and a net run rate of -0.448, showing their struggles in both batting and bowling.
| Season | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate | Captain(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 9 | -0.448 | Virender Sehwag |
| 2013 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 6 | -0.848 | Mahela Jayawardene |
| 2014 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 4 | -1.182 | Kevin Pietersen |
| 2018 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 10 | -0.222 | Gautam Gambhir, Shreyas Iyer |
The team couldn’t find consistency, landing them at the bottom and the 2013 season, led by Mahela Jayawardene, was even worse as Delhi Daredevils played 16 matches but managed only 3 wins against 13 losses, earning just 6 points and their net run rate of -0.848 was among the lowest and it was a season to forget as they finished last again.
In 2014, with Kevin Pietersen as captain, Delhi Daredevils hit rock bottom once more as they played 14 matches, winning only 2 and losing 12, collecting a mere 4 points and their net run rate of -1.182 was the worst in the tournament. The team’s poor form made them the last-placed side for the third time and even in 2018, the fans saw Delhi Capitals, now renamed, struggle again under Gautam Gambhir and later Shreyas Iyer as they won 5 of 14 matches, losing 9, and earned 10 points with a net run rate of -0.222.
One of the most inconsistent teams and the group who have struggled to find their footing in the Indian T20 League, Punjab Kings (previously Kings XI Punjab) have finished at the bottom of the points table multiple times and are known for their unpredictable performances, the team has faced challenges in building a stable squad and has cycled through 17 captains and since 2014, Punjab Kings have failed to qualify for the playoffs even once and in 2010, led by Mahela Jayawardene, Kings XI Punjab had a tough season, finishing last.
| Season | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.478 | Mahela Jayawardene |
| 2015 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 6 | -1.436 | Virender Sehwag |
| 2016 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.646 | David Miller |
They played 14 matches, winning only 4 and losing 10, earning 8 points with a net run rate of -0.478 and the team struggled to balance their batting and bowling, unable to compete with stronger sides, which left them at the bottom of the table and the 2015 season, under Virender Sehwag’s captaincy, was even more disappointing as Punjab Kings managed just 3 wins in 14 matches, losing 11, and collected only 6 points.
Their net run rate of -1.436 was one of the worst, showing how heavily they were outplayed in many games as this marked another last-place finish, with the team failing to find momentum and in 2016, with David Miller as captain, Punjab Kings again ended at the bottom as they won 4 out of 14 matches, losing 10, and earned 8 points with a net run rate of -0.646 and despite some individual brilliance, the team couldn’t gel as a unit, leading to yet another season of disappointment.
Completing the holy trinity with Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in the list of teams with the most finishes at the bottom of the points table, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had their share of tough seasons and despite having an exceptional captain and batter in Virat Kohli, RCB struggled to deliver consistent results, often due to a weak bowling department as their inability to defend totals or restrict opponents led to frequent criticism and two last-place finishes in the Indian T20 League.
| Season | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 7 | -1.299 | Virat Kohli |
| 2017 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 11 | -0.607 | Virat Kohli |
In one season, under Virat Kohli’s leadership, RCB ended at the bottom of the table with a dismal performance. They played 14 matches, winning just 3, losing 10, and having one match ended without a result. This gave them 7 points and a net run rate of -1.299, one of the lowest in the tournament. Kohli’s brilliant batting couldn’t make up for the team’s bowling woes, as their bowlers struggled to take wickets or control the run flow, leading to heavy defeats and a last-place finish.
Another season saw RCB, again led by Kohli, finish last with a slightly better but still poor record. They played 14 matches, securing 5 wins, 8 losses, and one no-result, earning 11 points with a net run rate of -0.607. While Kohli led from the front with the bat, the bowling unit failed to step up, leaking runs and failing to defend even decent totals. This exposed RCB’s over-reliance on their star-studded batting lineup, which couldn’t always cover for the bowlers’ shortcomings.
The team that won the IPL 2016 under the captaincy of David Warner and a unit that always used to be a strong contender, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), faced tough times by finishing last in the points table twice. Known for their balanced squad and smart strategies, SRH’s struggles in 2021 and 2023 were marked by leadership issues and overall poor performances, leading to disappointing campaigns in the Indian T20 League. In 2021, SRH ended at the bottom under the captaincy of David Warner and later Kane Williamson. They played 14 matches, winning just 3 and losing 11, earning 6 points with a net run rate of -0.545.
| Season | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 6 | -0.545 | David Warner, Kane Williamson |
| 2023 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.590 | Aiden Markram |
The season was chaotic due to a captaincy saga, with the team’s management treating Warner poorly. He was stripped of the captaincy mid-season, and reports of internal conflicts hurt team morale. This drama, combined with inconsistent batting and bowling, meant SRH couldn’t find their rhythm, failing to qualify for the playoffs and landing in last place. In 2023, led by Aiden Markram, SRH again finished last with a slightly better but still underwhelming record.
They played 14 matches, securing 4 wins and 10 losses, collecting 8 points with a net run rate of -0.590. Unlike 2021, there was no major captaincy controversy, but the team failed to make an impact altogether as their batting lacked firepower, and the bowling unit struggled to defend totals or take key wickets and Despite Markram’s efforts, SRH couldn’t gel as a unit, resulting in another bottom-of-the-table finish.
For most fans, seeing Mumbai Indians’ name on the list of last-place finishers is shocking, as the five-time IPL champions are known for their dominance but, finishing at the bottom became a reality in 2022 and 2024, driven by major team changes and leadership controversies that disrupted their usual success in the Indian T20 League and in 2022, under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, Mumbai Indians ended at the bottom of the points table, a stunning fall for a team with five titles as they played 14 matches, winning just 4 and losing 10, earning 8 points with a net run rate of -0.506.
| Season | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.506 | Rohit Sharma |
| 2024 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 8 | -0.318 | Hardik Pandya |
The season was tough because key senior players like Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult, Quinton de Kock, and others left the team before the campaign and it weakened their batting and bowling, leaving the squad unbalanced and despite Rohit’s efforts, Mumbai couldn’t recover from the loss of these stars, leading to a last-place finish that shocked fans. In 2024, Mumbai Indians again finished last, this time led by Hardik Pandya, who returned to the team and took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma.
The decision sparked huge controversy, creating tension within the team and among fans. Mumbai played 14 matches, winning 4 and losing 10, collecting 8 points with a net run rate of -0.318. The captaincy change disrupted team unity, and Hardik faced criticism for his leadership. The squad struggled to perform consistently, with neither batting nor bowling clicking, resulting in another bottom-of-the-table finish.