section_path: Abstract
section_name: Abstract
paragraph_text: The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a domestic, annual Twenty20 cricket tournament played in India since 2008. It is organized by the IPL Governing Council, under the aegis of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is the most watched Twenty20 tournament, and the second-best-paying sporting league globally.
  
  As of 2025, the IPL consists of ten teams representing ten cities across India. Overall fifteen teams have played across the past seasons of the tournament, with five becoming defunct later. Eight franchises took part in the inaugural edition in 2008. Ahead of the 2011 season, Kochi Tuskers and Pune Warriors joined the league. Kochi Tuskers was terminated after a single season by the BCCI for contractual breach. After the 2012 season, Deccan Chargers ceased to exist and was replaced by Sunrisers Hyderabad for the next season. After the 2013 season, Pune Warriors India exited the IPL after it had a franchise valuation disagreement with the BCCI. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 following a betting case, and was replaced by two new teams – Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants for the two seasons. The suspended franchises returned to compete in the 2018 season. Ahead of the 2022 season, two new teams – Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants were added to the competition.
  
  As of 2025, there have been eighteen seasons of the tournament. The inaugural IPL season was won by Rajasthan Royals. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the most successful franchises with five titles each. Kolkata Knight Riders have won three titles while Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won a title each.
  
  Up until the 2021 season, an IPL tournament involved each team playing every other team twice in a home-and-away, double round-robin format. Since 2022, the ten teams are divided into two groups of five teams as determined by a random draw. Each team plays two matches against the other four teams in their group and a randomly chosen team from the other group, while playing a single match against the other four teams. Basis the points accumulated in the group stage, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. In the playoffs, the top two teams from the group stage compete with each other in the first qualifier and the winner qualifies directly for the final. The loser of the qualifier competes with the winner of an eliminator match between the third and fourth placed teams, to determine the other finalist. The team that wins the final is crowned the champion.
  
  The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a domestic, annual Twenty20 cricket tournament played in India since 2008. It is organized by the IPL Governing Council, under the aegis of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is the most watched Twenty20 tournament, and the second-best-paying sporting league globally.
  
  As of 2025, the IPL consists of ten teams representing ten cities across India. Overall fifteen teams have played across the past seasons of the tournament, with five becoming defunct later. Eight franchises took part in the inaugural edition in 2008. Ahead of the 2011 season, Kochi Tuskers and Pune Warriors joined the league. Kochi Tuskers was terminated after a single season by the BCCI for contractual breach. After the 2012 season, Deccan Chargers ceased to exist and was replaced by Sunrisers Hyderabad for the next season. After the 2013 season, Pune Warriors India exited the IPL after it had a franchise valuation disagreement with the BCCI. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended for two seasons in 2016 and 2017 following a betting case, and was replaced by two new teams – Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants for the two seasons. The suspended franchises returned to compete in the 2018 season. Ahead of the 2022 season, two new teams – Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants were added to the competition.
  
  As of 2025, there have been eighteen seasons of the tournament. The inaugural IPL season was won by Rajasthan Royals. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the most successful franchises with five titles each. Kolkata Knight Riders have won three titles while Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won a title each.
  
  Up until the 2021 season, an IPL tournament involved each team playing every other team twice in a home-and-away, double round-robin format. Since 2022, the ten teams are divided into two groups of five teams as determined by a random draw. Each team plays two matches against the other four teams in their group and a randomly chosen team from the other group, while playing a single match against the other four teams. Basis the points accumulated in the group stage, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. In the playoffs, the top two teams from the group stage compete with each other in the first qualifier and the winner qualifies directly for the final. The loser of the qualifier competes with the winner of an eliminator match between the third and fourth placed teams, to determine the other finalist. The team that wins the final is crowned the champion.