10 lesser-known IPL facts that will surprise you

1. Extras once top-scored in an IPL innings

Yes, you read it right. Extras once ended as the top run-scorer in an IPL innings. This has happened only once in the entire history of IPL. We, obviously, are talking about an innings in which all 10 batters were dismissed. So, this happened in the very first IPL match. Yes, again, you read it right. KKR dismissed RCB for 82 runs, winning the first-ever IPL match by 140 runs. Extras top-scored for RCB with 19, followed by Praveen Kumar, who scored 18 runs off 15 deliveries.

2. Seven out of eight highest totals in IPL history came in 2024

IPL 2024 was just a runfest. It produced seven out of eight highest totals of the history of IPL. All these seven totals were more than what India scored in the Champions Trophy 2025 final. SunRisers Hyderabad produced three of the top four totals.

3. There has been one-run winning margin in 14 IPL matches

IPL is known for a lot of nail-biting clashes. The tournament has produced as many as 14 matches which have been clinched by a team winning by one run. IPL 2024 saw many highest totals. It also saw two of the 14 one-run margin matches.

4. 6 batters have gotten out on duck in an IPL innings only once

Well, IPL is now into its 18th season and we have seen lowest total of 49. One might wonder there would be a lot of innings with a lot of ducks in it, however, that is not the case. It is rare. In fact, IPL has seen only one innings wherein six batters got out for a duck. When did it happen? Well, it was in the match between Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KT) aganst Deccan Chargers (DC) in Kochi in 2011. KTK’s Brendon McCullim, Parthiv Patel, Raiphi Gomez, Brad Hodge, Kedar Jadhav and RP Singh recorded ducks. In fact, Sreesanth also scored 0*(1) in the innings, however, he was unbeaten as KTK got all out for 74, losing the duck-filled match by 55 runs. PS: Both the franchises are now defunct.

5. The IPL trophy has an inscription in Sanskrit

The IPL trophy has a message in Sanskrit inscribed in its middle which reads, “Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi.” The message translates to “Where talent meets opportunity.” The golden coloured trophy also contains the names of the winners of the previous editions.

6. Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum’s great-great-grandfather invented penalty kick

IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) CEO Jake Lush McCrum’s great-great-grandfather William McCrum is credited with inventing penalty kick in football. William McCrum was a goalkeeper for his local club Milford FC and a businessman. He first proposed the idea of the penalty kick to the Irish Football Association in 1891 as a drastic sanction against dangerous conduct.

7. Adam Gilchrist bowled one ball in IPL history, took wicket on it

Playing his career’s last T20 match, former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, while captaining Kings XI Punjab (Kings XI Punjab) in IPL, bowled one ball in their match against Mumbai Indians (MI). Gilchrist bowled an off-spin delivery to Harbhajan Singh, who slogged and slammed the ball towards the long-on, where Gurkeerat Singh Mann took a catch. Punjab dismissed Mumbai for 133 and won the match by 50 runs. Gilchrist took the wicket on the match’s last delivery and his T20 career’s first and last delivery. Gilchrist celebrated the wicket by doing the Gangnam Style dance.

8. Virat Kohli has lost most number of matches

Virat Kohli, who has played for RCB in his entire IPL career, has lost the most number of matches in the history of IPL. Out of the 252 IPL matches Kohli has featured in, he has ended up in the losing side 126 times. He is followed by current RCB batting coach DInesh Karthik, who suffered 125 defeats. Rohit Sharma is third on the list with 121 losses.

9. When Mr Cool Dhoni turned uncool

During an IPL 2019 match against RR, then CSK captain MS Dhoni stormed on to the field in last over and argued with umpires regarding a waist-height no-ball call. The incident happened after umpire Ulhas Gandhe signalled a Ben Stokes delivery as no-ball, but overturned the decision after being asked by square-leg umpire Bruce Oxenford. Dhoni was fined 50% of his match fee for the outburst.

10. Harbhajan SIngh once slapped Sreesanth

During the first IPL season, Mumbai Indians stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh slapped Kings XI Punjab fast bowler S Sreesanth. Harbhajan slapped him after MI lost the match, suffering their third defeat in a row. Sreesanth downplayed the incident, stating that Harbhajan apologised to him and that they had patched up. Harbhajan was banned for the rest of the season after video footage showed that he had slapped Sreesanth without any provocation.