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Updated October 13th, 2021 at 23:53 IST

IPL 2021: Have IPL points table-toppers ever failed to win any Qualifier match?

With today's loss, the Delhi Capitals have lost both the qualifiers and that has brought an end to the table-toppers journey in the IPL 2021.

Reported by: Azhar Mohamed
IPL 2021
Image: Twitter/@IPL, BCCI | Image:self
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With today's loss, the Delhi Capitals have lost both the qualifiers and that has brought an end to the table-toppers journey in the IPL 2021. This, however, has left people to wonder - has any IPL points table-toppers ever failed to win any Qualifier match?

The qualifier system was brought in from the 4th edition of the IPL replacing the semi-final system. The idea behind this system was to reward the top two teams from the league, to have another shot at reaching the finals. 

Many a times, teams have made it to the finals using the 2nd change with a few teams also going on to win the cup. But there have been three instances, where the team that finished on top of the points table in the group stages lost both their opportunities and did not make it to the finals. 

The first instance was in the very second season after the introduction of this system; the Delhi-based franchise, then known as Delhi Capitals, finished the group stage having won 11 of their 16 games. The team were pitched against Gautam Gambhir's Delhi Capitals who won the contest by 18 runs. The Daredevils, however, had a second opportunity at hand but blew out cold facing a massive 86 runs defeat at the hands of the Chennai Super Kings. 

The next instance of the table-toppers losing both the Qualifiers happened during the 2016 edition. New entrants Gujarat Lions, led by Suresh Raina finished atop the table with 18 points. They were up against Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The Gujarat lions were put to bat first, with Dwayne Smith playing a brilliant knock of 73 to help his side manage to reach 158. In return for RCB, AB de Villiers played a brilliant innings ending 79 (Not-out), along with Iqbal Abdulla's quick 33's to help Bangalore book a place in the finals. 

The Gujarat Lions had a second opportunity, but failed to make the most out of it and faced a defeat at the hands of the Orange Army who won by four wickets. 

Today's IPL Qualifier 2 marked the third such occasion, wherein a team that finished first on the points table did not make it to the finals. The Delhi Capitals finished atop the table but lost the Qualifier 1 against the Chennai Super Kings. Today presented them another shot at reaching the finals, but it was the Kolkata Knight Riders that came on top of the occasion and won the clash with one ball to spare. 

IPL 2021: DC vs KKR

The Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and chose to field first, the team's pacers combined with their mystery spinners did their part really well to restrict the Delhi Capitals to 135/5. In return, Venkatesh Iyer and Shubhman Gill got KKR to a great start and it looked like they were easily cruising to victory, but towards the end of the innings, wickets started to fall in quick succession and the Delhi pacers did well to keep the pressure piling.

The Knight Riders needed 7 to win off the final over, but Ashwin did well to just give one run and pick two wickets of his first four delivers. Rahul Tripathi was back on strike but was struggling throughout, but the player did clear the ropes when it mattered the most, sealing KKR a place in the finals.

Image: Twitter/@IPL, BCCI

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Published October 13th, 2021 at 23:56 IST

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