Indian Premier League 2018
2018 · 8 teams · T20 cricket
Tournament Overview
Series Overview
The 2018 Indian Premier League — Season 11 — will be remembered as the greatest comeback story in IPL history. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals returned from their two-year suspension for the spot-fixing scandal, with CSK doing so in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Under MS Dhoni's calm leadership, CSK marched through the tournament without losing consecutive matches, winning 9 of their 14 league games. In the final at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, CSK faced Sunrisers Hyderabad who had posted 178/6. Shane Watson opened the batting and dismantled the SRH bowling with breathtaking power, smashing 117* off just 57 balls — one of the greatest IPL final innings ever played. CSK chased down the target with 8 wickets and 2 balls to spare in what became a coronation rather than a contest. For Dhoni, it was a cathartic moment: two years of suspension, doubt, and public scrutiny had not broken the man or the franchise. Kane Williamson of SRH was the batting standout of the tournament with 735 runs — the highest Orange Cap total a New Zealander has ever achieved in the IPL.
Key Highlights
- 1CSK and Rajasthan Royals returned from a two-year suspension to win the title in CSK's comeback season
- 2Shane Watson's match-winning 117* off 57 balls in the final destroyed SRH's bowling attack
- 3Kane Williamson won the Orange Cap with 735 runs — the highest by a New Zealander in IPL history
- 4Andrew Tye took the Purple Cap with 24 wickets, the standout fast bowler of the tournament
- 5MS Dhoni's leadership was masterful throughout — CSK did not lose back-to-back matches all season