The IPL 2020 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore saw Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore crush Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare. The two-time champions, who won the IPL title in 2012 and 2014, were humiliated in Abu Dhabi by a side that has lost in the final of the IPL three times and has never won the title. Here are other instances when champion IPL sides have lost by massive margins.
The Indian Premier League title has been won by only six teams in the 12 editions so far. Rajasthan Royals won the first IPL title in 2008, followed by the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in 2009. Chennai Super Kings won the title in 2010 and 2011 while Kolkata Knight Riders prevented the hat-trick in 2012. Mumbai Indians continued their 'odd' streak by winning in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Kolkata Knight Riders managed another win in 2014 while Sunrisers Hyderabad won the tournament in grand style in 2016. Chennai Super Kings roared back in style with a brilliant win in 2018. However, during the IPL 2020 clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, the two-time IPL champions were humiliated by eight wickets as they were restricted to 84/8. RCB chased the total down with 39 balls to spare as Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign became critical in IPL 2020. With the two-time IPL champions suffering a big loss, here are five instances when champion teams suffered massive losses which dented their progress and reputation. This list will include losses by wickets, by balls and by runs. The wickets criteria will be either a 10-wicket or a nine-wicket loss while for runs, it will be over 70 in a Twenty20 match.
1. IPL Kolkata Knight Riders
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Kolkata Knight Riders have suffered some massive losses in IPL 2020, with two coming only against Royal Challengers Bangalore. They lost the first game by 82 runs in Sharjah while in Abu Dhabi, they were hammered by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare. The two-time champions have suffered big losses predominantly at the hands of the Mumbai Indians, against whom they have lost 21 out of 27 encounters. Mumbai Indians once mauled the two-time champions by 102 runs in an IPL 2018 encounter at the Eden Gardens. Mumbai Indians have had the wood over Kolkata Knight Riders ever since 2008 and in the 2009 encounter at Port Elizabeth, Mumbai Indians defeated them by 92 runs to decimate their reputation. (Image credit: Twitter)
2. IPL Chennai Super Kings
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Chennai Super Kings, due to their strength and versatility, have never tasted big defeats by runs. However, if you exclude the criteria mentioned above, they have lost games. Their biggest loss though, when it comes to ball remaining, was 40 when Delhi Daredevils defeated them comprehensively in a match in IPL 2012 at the Arun Jaitley stadium. MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings once received a nine-wicket drubbing at the hands of the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2008 but at that time, the side won with 37 balls remaining. (Image credit: Twitter)
3. IPL Mumbai Indians
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Mumbai Indians are the four-time champions for a reason and that is because of their ruthless determination to win. Rohit Sharma's side has achieved a benchmark that will take a lot of effort from teams to overhaul. However, that does not mean that they have not suffered massive losses which have dented their reputation. Mumbai Indians once suffered a 10-wicket thrashing at the hands of the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2012 as the Royals won the game with 41 balls to spare. When it comes to balls remaining, Mumbai Indians lost the match to Deccan Chargers in IPL 2008 with 46 balls to spare in Hyderabad. However, their worst loss when it comes to runs was by 85 runs during the clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2016.
4. IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad
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Sunrisers Hyderabad have made great strides in IPL ever since they were rebuilt from the Ashes of Deccan Chargers in IPL 2013. They won the IPL in 2016 by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore and it was the second time an IPL franchise won the tournament from Hyderabad, with Deccan Chargers being the previous winners in IPL 2009. However, they too have suffered some big defeats. In IPL 2013, their first major defeat was a huge 77-run loss to Chennai Super Kings while chasing 224. The Deccan Chargers once lost by nine wickets and with 42 balls remaining during the IPL 2008 clash against Delhi Daredevils in Hyderabad. Deccan Chargers were also thrashed by nine wickets by Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2010 in the Eliminator.
5. IPL Rajasthan Royals
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Rajasthan Royals won the first edition of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and they had captured the imagination of the cricketing world. However, their title drought has extended into the 12th year now. In between, they were suspended for two years due to the spot-fixing scandal. In IPL 2010, they suffered a humiliating 10-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore while they were also hammered by Mumbai Indians in IPL 2012 by the same margin. In IPL 2011, they were hammered by Kochi Tuskers Kerala with 76 balls to spare in Indore while Royal Challengers Bangalore hurt them again by defeating them with 56 balls to spare in IPL 2010. Apart from this, there was a defeat in which Kolkata Knight Riders chased the target down with 37 balls to spare twice in 2011 and 2019. (Image credit: Twitter)
