The Indian Premier League (IPL) is more than just a cricket tournament.
It’s a festival of colors, entertainment, and unbelievable moments.
While many fans know the big scores and thrilling finishes, very few know the secret stories that hide behind the glamour.
Today, let’s dive into 100 unbelievable, unknown, and mind-blowing IPL facts that even hardcore cricket lovers might have missed!
1–20: Historical & First-Time Records
1. The very first IPL match saw Brendon McCullum smash a breathtaking 158* runs.
2. Zaheer Khan bowled the first ball in IPL history — and it was a wicket!
3. Shaun Marsh was the first Orange Cap winner, scoring 616 runs in 2008.
4. Sohail Tanvir grabbed the first-ever Purple Cap with 22 wickets in 2008.
5. The first Super Over in IPL history was between KKR and RR in 2009.
6. MS Dhoni became the costliest player in the first-ever IPL auction.
7. Manish Pandey was the first Indian to score a century in IPL.
8. Adam Gilchrist is the only wicketkeeper-captain to win an IPL trophy (2009).
9. Deccan Chargers finished last in 2008 but became champions in 2009.
10. Pravin Tambe made his debut at 41 years old without playing a first-class match!
11. The fastest fifty in IPL history was smashed by KL Rahul in just 14 balls.
12. Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score — 175* runs.
13. In 2011, RCB scored a whopping 263/5 — the highest team total.
14. The lowest total ever recorded: RCB — 49 all out against KKR in 2017.
15. Mumbai Indians have won the most titles — 5 times.
16. CSK has the highest winning percentage among all teams.
17. Only 2 hat-tricks have been taken in the same match — Amit Mishra and Yuvraj Singh (different seasons).
18. Amit Mishra holds the record for most hat-tricks in IPL — 3.
19. Suresh Raina has played the most consecutive IPL matches (134).
20. Parthiv Patel has represented six different IPL franchises.
21–40: Unbelievable Player Stats
21. Virat Kohli scored a record 973 runs in 2016, yet RCB didn't win the trophy.
22. Chris Gayle has hit the most sixes in IPL history — over 350.
23. Lasith Malinga was IPL’s leading wicket-taker for many years.
24. AB de Villiers never got out for a duck in 2016 and 2017.
25. Bhuvneshwar Kumar won Purple Cap consecutively in 2016 and 2017.
26. David Warner is the only player to win the Orange Cap three times.
27. Shikhar Dhawan scored back-to-back centuries in the 2020 IPL.
28. Harbhajan Singh has taken 150+ wickets in IPL as an off-spinner.
29. Rashid Khan holds the record for the best economy rate in IPL.
30. Dwayne Bravo holds the record for the most wickets in a single season — 32 in 2013.
31. Andre Russell once had a strike rate of 204+ in a full season!
32. Sunil Narine has scored a fifty in just 15 balls as an opener.
33. KL Rahul once captained and kept wickets while opening for Punjab Kings.
34. Kieron Pollard has never been auctioned; MI retained him each time.
35. Shane Watson scored a century and took a hat-trick in the same season.
36. MS Dhoni has the most matches as captain in IPL history.
37. Rahul Dravid was the oldest captain to lead an IPL team.
38. Chris Morris became the most expensive IPL player ever (₹16.25 crore) in 2021.
39. Yuzvendra Chahal has more wickets than many front-line pacers.
40. Dinesh Karthik has played for the most number of IPL franchises (6).
41–60: Shocking Team Moments
41. MI won the 2017 final against RPS by just 1 run.
42. In 2019, MI again won the final by 1 run — this time against CSK.
43. CSK was banned for two seasons (2016-2017) but returned with a title win in 2018.
44. KKR won titles in 2012 and 2014, both under Gautam Gambhir’s leadership.
45. RCB holds the record for both the highest and lowest team totals.
46. RR was the first-ever champion in IPL 2008.
47. DC (formerly Delhi Daredevils) reached their first final only in 2020.
48. KXIP (now PBKS) reached the final only once — in 2014.
49. Gujarat Titans won the IPL title in their debut season (2022)!
50. Pune Warriors India had the worst winning percentage among all franchises.
61–80: Funny & Crazy Incidents
61. In 2010, a match was broadcast live in 3D at select theatres.
62. KKR’s owner Shah Rukh Khan was once banned from entering Wankhede Stadium.
63. Shane Warne claimed to have a lucky coin he used at tosses.
64. Wrong national anthem was played before an IPL match!
65. Chris Gayle once missed a match because he overslept.
66. MI wore blue-and-gold jerseys to promote "Save the Oceans" campaign.
67. SRH defended a tiny total of 118 runs against MI.
68. Yusuf Pathan once scored a century in just 37 balls.
69. Sunil Narine opened innings in several matches despite being a bowler.
70. Ben Stokes missed part of an IPL season due to national duty.
71. Rajasthan Royals once picked a 17-year-old schoolboy, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
72. Pollard once patched his torn shoe with duct tape during a match!
73. Dale Steyn once bowled 18 dot balls in a four-over spell.
74. The heaviest IPL trophy belongs to Mumbai Indians — 7 kg!
75. Kedar Jadhav once kept wickets despite injuring his hamstring.
76. Andre Russell once batted with a broken bat — and still hit sixes!
77. A match between CSK and KXIP had 36 runs scored in one over!
78. James Faulkner scored two fifties and took 5 wickets twice in a season.
79. Parthiv Patel is one of the shortest players to keep wickets in IPL.
80. RCB fans still proudly chant “Ee Sala Cup Namde” every season!
81–100: Unknown and Unbelievable IPL Facts
81. Umpires use walkie-talkies to communicate during matches.
82. MI started every season with a loss — yet won multiple titles.
83. Jadeja was once bought for ₹9.72 crore — one of the highest uncapped bids.
84. Players like Marcus Stoinis have played as both opener and death bowler.
85. Harshal Patel holds the record for most wickets by an uncapped player (32 wickets).
86. Some players, like Adam Zampa, joined IPL mid-season as injury replacements.
87. The IPL auctioneer once fainted on stage (Hugh Edmeades, 2022).
88. Several Bollywood stars like Preity Zinta, Shah Rukh Khan, and Juhi Chawla own teams.
89. Anil Kumble bowled a maiden Super Over in IPL!
90. Only three teams — MI, CSK, and KKR — have won multiple titles.
91. The trophy of IPL is insured for over ₹50 lakh.
92. Players are fined for slow over-rates heavily — even captains!
93. MI’s Ambati Rayudu once played with stitches on his hand.
94. Kumar Sangakkara captained two different IPL franchises.
95. Ravi Shastri was the voice behind many early IPL promos.
96. Dwayne Bravo’s "Champion" song became an anthem during IPL.
97. Some players have earned more from IPL than from their entire international career.
98. Suryakumar Yadav played the role of finisher before becoming an opener.
99. The first-ever female umpire debuted in IPL 2023 — Kim Cotton.
100. IPL is the only cricket league where retired players like MS Dhoni still dominate headlines!
Conclusion
IPL isn't just a cricket league — it’s a universe filled with unbelievable records, shocking incidents, and heart-stopping moments.
Whether you're a hardcore fan or a casual viewer, these 100 facts surely made you smile, laugh, and get goosebumps.
Stay tuned for even more amazing cricket stories, only on Factfiger!
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