- RCB take on GT in qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 on Tuesday.
- With the playoffs set to begin on Tuesday, we look at the top 3 IPL playoff matches in history.
- AB de Villiers played one of the best innings in IPL playoff history in 2016.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) league phase is now complete and the playoffs beckon. Table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on second-placed Gujarat Titans (GT) in qualifier 1. In the eliminator, third-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) face Rajasthan Royals (RR) for a place in qualifier 2.
Over the years, the playoffs have been blessed with some incredible matches. And in this article, we look back at some of the best IPL playoff matches in history.
Top 3 IPL playoff matches
Some of the IPL’s best cricket has been played in the knockouts phase of the tournament. While we have seen some incredible finals as well, we will only be focusing on the playoff games (qualifier 1, eliminator and qualifier 2) for the sake of this article.
CSK vs RCB, Qualifier 1 (2011)
RCB last topped the table in 2011. They took on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in qualifier 1, then known as the first qualifying final. Having been asked to bat first, RCB scored 175/4 in their 20 overs, thanks in large part to an unbeaten 44-ball 70 from Virat Kohli. Doug Bollinger was the pick of the CSK bowlers with a miserly 1-20 in four overs.
In response, Chennai got off to a disastrous start, losing both their openers in the first two overs. Suresh Raina then picked up the pieces and began to anchor the chase. After MS Dhoni was dismissed with 45 needed off 20 balls, RCB seemed to be clear favourites to win.
Enter Albie Morkel. The South African all-rounder hit three sixes en route to a 10-ball 28, seeing Chennai home with two balls to spare. Raina was then named Player of the Match for his well-made 50-ball 73.
GL vs RCB, Qualifier 1 (2016)
Having been up in to bat, table toppers Gujarat Lions found themselves tottering at 9-3 inside four overs. Dinesh Karthik and Dwayne Smith then steadied the ship with an 85-run partnership.
Smith’s 73 helped GL reach a respectable 158 in their 20 overs. The Lions, however, got off to a dream start in RCB’s chase. GL reduced Bengaluru to 29-5 within the powerplay, with Dhawal Kulkarni picking up four wickets.
AB de Villiers and Stuart Binny did a bit of a rescue job before the latter was dismissed. 68-6. However, de Villiers and Iqbal Abdullah put on 91 runs in 53 balls, pulling off a near-miracle chase. The South African’s unbeaten 47-ball 79 saw him named the Player of the Match as RCB made their first final in five years.
GT vs RR, Qualifier 1 (2022)
Like every other game on this list, the Rajasthan Royals too were put in to bat after Gujarat Titans won the toss. However, a 56-ball 89 from Jos Buttler and a quickfire 47 from captain Sanju Samson set RR on their way.
In spite of the middle and lower middle order struggling, Buttler put his initial troubles behind him to take RR to 188-6 in their 20 overs. GT, in reply, lost Wriddhiman Saha in the first over as he was caught behind off Trent Boult.
Shubman Gill and Matthew Wade then put on 72 runs before the former was dismissed. Wade would then follow a couple of overs later. Captain Hardik Pandya and David Miller then came together in an attempt to take the team home with 104 needed off 63 balls.
The Titans needed 16 off the final over in a tightly contested game. Miller held his nerve to dispatch Prasidh Krishna over long on, square leg and midwicket. 6, 6, 6. The Titans had made it to the final in their very first season, and Miller was named Player of the Match for taking them there.
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