Indian Premier League is the first of its kind to come into existence. The first ever IPL edition took place in 2008, just after India won the 2007 T20 World Cup in India. In the inaugural season, there were a total of 8 teams. Since then, it has hosted 15 seasons successfully in this league. In short, the IPL is the biggest cricket event that happens every year.
It is even bigger than the World Cup, which is just unbelievably large. The Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the two most successful teams in this competition. MI has won the league five times, while CSK has won it four times. And in this article, we will cover the list of teams that have played the most playoff games.
List of IPL Playoff Teams
In the following table, you can see which IPL team have qualified for playoffs most of the times. Chennai Super Kings, the only team to qualify for 10 or more times in just 14 IPL edition.
| Team | Total Season | Total Playoffs | Won | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 14 | 12 | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 | 2010 |
| Mumbai Indians | 16 | 10 | 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 | 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019 |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore | 16 | 8 | – | 2009, 2011, 2016 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 16 | 6 | 2012, 2014 | 2021 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 11 | 6 | 2016 | 2018 |
| Delhi Capitals | 16 | 6 | – | 2020 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 14 | 5 | 2008 | 2022 |
| Gujarat Titans | 2 | 2 | 2022 | |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 2 | 2 | ||
| Punjab Kings | 16 | 2 | – | 2014 |
7. Rajasthan Royals – 5 times
The inaugural season champion Rajasthan Royals are fifth on the list. They made their IPL debut in 2008 and won the first edition under the leadership of Shane Warne. However, after that, they played their second IPL final in 2022 under Sanju Samson. In between, RR made three playoff appearances in 2013, 2015, and 2018 as well. In total, Rajasthan played in the playoff stage five times.
6. Delhi Capitals – 6 times
There are three IPL teams that have played in the playoffs six times in total. In those three teams, only the Delhi Capitals haven’t won the IPL. DC played in the semi-finals of the first two editions in 2008 and 2007. The playoffs were then held in 2012, 2019, and 2021. Their only IPL final appearance came in 2020.
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad – 6 times
Sunrisers Hyderabad made their IPL debut in 2013, and in their very first season, they qualified for the playoffs. Then they played IPL playoffs for five consecutive seasons between 2016 to 2020. In between, they also won the maiden IPL in 2016 and ended as runners-up in 2018.
4. Kolkata Knight Riders – 6 Times
The two-time IPL champion Kolkata Knight Riders have also appeared in six IPL playoffs. They played their first playoff in 2011, then won the 2012 and 2014 seasons. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, KKR made three consecutive playoff appearances, and finished the 2021 season as runners-up.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore – 8 Times
Royal Challenger Bangalore is ranked third on this list. They have yet to win their first IPL title, but they have appeared in three IPL finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Apart from three finals, they have played five playoffs in 2010, 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022. They are the only team to not qualify for the playoffs in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
2. Mumbai Indians – 9 Times
The most successful IPL franchise, the Mumbai Indians, have made 8 IPL playoff appearances, in which they have played 6 IPL finals. MI has won the IPL five times: in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020, and ended as runners-up in 2010. Their other playoff seasons were in 2011, 2012, and 2014.
1. Chennai Super Kings- 12 Times
CSK has some bloody consistent numbers in the Indian Premier League. They have played 14 seasons (were suspended in 2016 and 2017) and out of those 14, they have made the playoffs 12 times. The two seasons when they couldn’t make the playoffs were in 2020 and 2022. CSK won the IPL in 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021 and ended as runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019.