The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a hallmark of cricketing excellence, with high-octane matches and unforgettable performances since its inception in 2008. Among the most successful franchises are Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), each boasting an impressive five titles. Following them are Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with two titles, while Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have each secured one title.
Teams like Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have yet to clinch their maiden IPL trophy. The newly formed Lucknow Super Giants, who joined the league in 2022, are still carving out their legacy.
This article talks about the most unsuccessful team in IPL, the ones that continue to chase their first taste of ultimate glory. Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings are widely considered the two most unsuccessful teams in IPL history.Â
List of Unsuccessful Team in IPL History
Delhi CapitalsÂ
Delhi Capitals are one of the three teams to have never won an IPL trophy, and they also have the worst win percentage among all teams (44.28).
Jointly owned by the GMR Group and the JSW Sports, the franchise have only made it to one IPL final since 2008. They have qualified for the playoffs a total of six times, including the appearance in the final in 2020.Â
Read More: 10 Highest Partnership in IPL History
In the inaugural 2008 IPL season, the Delhi Daredevils, led by Virender Sehwag, began strongly, winning their first two matches. Despite a mid-season slump, they finished fourth in the points table with seven wins. However, their campaign ended with a loss to the Rajasthan Royals in the semi-final.
In 2009, under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir, the Daredevils dominated the league stage, finishing at the top of the points table with ten wins. Their strong batting lineup, including Virender Sehwag and AB de Villiers, set up numerous high totals. Nevertheless, they faltered in the semi-final against the Deccan Chargers.
The 2010 season saw Delhi Daredevils, again under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, finish fifth in the points table with seven wins, missing out on the playoffs. In 2011, the team struggled significantly under the captaincy of Virender Sehwag. They finished last in the points table with just four wins, marking a low point in their IPL journey.
The 2012 season saw a resurgence for the Daredevils, with Sehwag and later Mahela Jayawardene leading the team. They topped the points table with eleven wins, bolstered by the addition of players like Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor. Despite their strong league performance, they were unable to progress beyond the playoffs.
In 2013, under Jayawardene’s leadership, the Daredevils had a disappointing season, securing only three victories and finishing last in the points table. The 2014 season was similarly challenging; under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen, the team managed just two wins, once again finishing at the bottom.
The 2015 season, with JP Duminy as captain, showed slight improvement as the Daredevils finished seventh, winning five matches. In 2016, under the leadership of Zaheer Khan, the team performed better, securing seven wins and finishing sixth in the points table.
Zaheer Khan continued as captain in 2017, but the team could not advance beyond sixth place, winning six matches. In 2018, Shreyas Iyer took over as captain mid-season. Despite his efforts, the team ended up eighth, with just five wins.
Rebranded as Delhi Capitals in 2019 and with Shreyas Iyer as captain, the team experienced their best season yet, finishing third in the points table with nine wins and reaching the playoffs. The 2020 season was even more successful under Iyer’s leadership; they finished second in the points table with eight wins and reached their first final, where they lost to Mumbai Indians.
In 2021, Rishabh Pant captained the team, leading them to the top of the points table before the season was suspended. When the tournament resumed, they finished third overall. The 2022 season saw Delhi Capitals, still under Pant’s captaincy, narrowly miss the playoffs, finishing fifth with seven wins.
In 2023, David Warner took over as captain due to Rishabh Pant’s injury. Despite his leadership, the Delhi Capitals struggled, finishing ninth with five wins. Key players like Prithvi Shaw, Axar Patel, and Mitchell Marsh had difficulty finding form, and the team failed to build momentum throughout the season.
Punjab KingsÂ
Punjab Kings is widely considered the most unsuccessful team in IPL. Apart from the 2014 season when they topped the league table and finished runners-up, the team has made only one other playoff appearance in 16 seasons. They have not reached the playoffs from 2015 to 2024. Since 2008, they have played 245 matches in the IPL, winning 109 and losing 132.
Despite having several match-winners over the years and experimenting with new support staff, the franchise has yet to lift an IPL trophy.
Further Read: Highest Individual Score in IPL
In the inaugural 2008 season, under Yuvraj Singh’s captaincy, they recovered from a slow start to win 10 matches, reaching the semi-finals and finishing third in the points table. The following year, Yuvraj continued as captain, leading the team to seven victories and a fifth-place finish. The 2010 season saw Kumar Sangakkara take over as captain, but the team struggled, securing only four wins and ending last in the league.
In 2011, with Adam Gilchrist as captain, the team narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing fifth with seven wins. Gilchrist continued in 2012, guiding the team to an eighth-place finish. The 2013 season mirrored the previous year, with Gilchrist still at the helm and the team again finishing sixth. The 2014 season, led by George Bailey, was a standout year as the team won 12 matches and finished as runners-up. However, the momentum did not carry over to 2015, where they won just three matches and finished last.
David Miller and Murali Vijay shared captaincy duties in 2016, but the team again ended last with only four wins. Glenn Maxwell captained in 2017, leading the team to seven victories and a fifth-place finish. Ravichandran Ashwin took over in 2018 and 2019, with the team finishing seventh and sixth, respectively, both seasons seeing them win six matches. Under KL Rahul’s captaincy in 2020 and 2021, the team again finished sixth both years, each time winning six matches.
Suggested Read: Who is Called Mr. IPL
Mayank Agarwal captained the team in 2022, narrowly missing the playoffs by two points and finishing sixth with seven wins. In 2023, Shikhar Dhawan took over as captain, but the team struggled, winning six matches and finishing eighth. Despite moments of promise, the Punjab Kings have yet to secure their first IPL title.
Special mention – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the third team that have never won the IPL title. However, they are not considered among the most unsuccessful teams in the IPL because they’ve mostly always been a force to reckon with. The team finished as runners-up on three occasions in 2009, 2011 and 2016, and have overall made it to the playoffs eight times. The trophy, however, has eluded them.
Conclusion – in conclusion, Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals are considered the two most unsuccessful teams in ipl history, not just because they have never won the trophy, but also because they have the lowest win percentage among all teams.
