Since the first edition was played in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has gone on to become the foremost championship in Twenty20 cricket. The competition has also established a massive audience, attracting an average of more than 105 million unique viewers, during the first two weeks of IPL 2021 action. Likewise, this is the most-attended cricket league in the world, capable of packing stadiums throughout India.
Much of what makes the Indian Premier League Twenty20 great is quality cricket on view, especially playing under the faster-paced format, with shorter games limited to a maximum of 20 overs. Given that a typical Twenty20 game is completed in around three hours, similar to other popular team sports like rugby or football, the format has certainly achieved its objective of appealing to a wider audience.
As the biggest and best Twenty20 competition of them all, bar none, the IPL has produced countless thrilling and unique moments over the years. Let’s take a look at the Good, the Bad and the Googly (we’ll explain later!), from over a decade of thrilling IPL action.
The Good
No team has enjoyed more success than the Mumbai Indians, winning the IPL Cricket on five separate occasions. They also managed to achieve those five championships in the last eight seasons, making them a force to be reckoned with in recent years. Inevitably, they also hold the IPL record for the highest overall number of wins, achieving 122 from 210 matches.
आवाज होऊ दे, Paltan 💙
Our 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 resumes on 19th Sept 🏆#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/xDZbPiEkUA
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) July 25, 2021
Unsurprisingly, as the dominant force in the ISL over the last several years, the Mumbai Indians have also claimed other notable team records. These include the greatest winning margin of 146 runs, recorded against Delhi Capitals in May 2017; plus the greatest win with 87 balls remaining, set against Kolkata Knight Riders in May 2008.
Insofar as following the ISL is concerned, it’s good to know there are more wagering options than ever before. Expert guides provided by Asiabet have led them to become the most trusted online gambling resource, having surpassed 120,000 regular users, comparing and reviewing more than 100 casinos and sportsbooks. Providing detailed information about online gaming and sports betting, if that doesn’t bowl you over, nothing will.
The Bad
We often praise the most successful IPL teams, praising the feats and achievements accomplished by the best individuals and their teams, just like any other sport there are both winners and losers in Twenty20 cricket. That’s why right in the middle of this article, it’s time to look at some of the IPL records that some teams and players would like to forget.
Performances by the Delhi Capitals in recent years have been impressive, underlined by reaching the 2020 IPL final, before eventually losing the championship game against Mumbai Indians. However, there was also a time when they weren’t all that hot, setting the IPL record for 13 consecutive losses, which the team suffered between 2013 and 2014.
Individually, there’s a record that bowler Basil Thampi would prefer not to be reminded of. During the 2018 edition of the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad, he conceded 70 runs without taking a single wicket against Royal Challengers Bangalore, although he was facing the likes of batting legends Moeen Ali and AB de Villiers. For that reason alone, it’s hard not to feel some sympathy towards Thampi for his unwanted record.
The Googly
Unlike the famous western movie we referred to in the title of this article, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” starring Clint Eastwood, it’s fair to say that ‘ugly’ doesn’t exist in the realms of Indian Premier League cricket. Instead, we chose the word ‘googly’ because this is a familiar bowling term. First associated with Bernard Bosanquet in 1900 according to Cricket Country historians, the term refers to the ‘ugly’ way a ball would switch directions after being bowled, often deceiving batsmen.
Of course, there are now many different styles used by bowlers and all can be effective. However, nobody has ever achieved more IPL success and with such a wide variety of styles than Lasith Malinga. The remarkable Sri Lankan boasts numerous records in the competition, making him an absolute nightmare for opposing batsmen to face.
Nicknamed “Slinga Malinga” for his unique round-arm bowling action, allowing various throwing styles including the googly, he set several IPL records between 2008 and 2020 with Mumbai Indians. Amongst them, the most wickets in IPL history with 170 taken in 122 matches, plus most four-wickets (& over) hauls in an innings with 7 during his IPL career. Some fans even say he is the greatest bowler ever to grace the IPL.
