Net Run Rate (NRR) is a major factor in IPL as it determines the playoffs in most of the seasons. There are always a couple of teams which earn direct qualification to IPL playoffs every season, but one or two teams make it to top 4 based on their net run rate only.
Let’s talk about the current IPL teams and their least ever net run rate –
Kings XI Punjab (-1.436 in 2015)
IPL 2015 was one of the worst seasons ever for Kings XI Punjab as they could win just 3 out of the 14 games they played and some of their losses were so heavy that their net run rate was -1.436 at the end of their campaign which was the worst net run rate ever for an IPL franchise.
It was a bit surprising because just a year back KXIP had a very successful campaign in IPL 2014 and they had managed to make it to the finals where they were beaten by KKR.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (-1.299 in 2017)
RCB’s season in 2017 was also pretty much like the one KXIP had in 2015 because RCB had also been in the final of the IPL just a year back and it was hard for everyone to comprehend what went wrong with the team in just a space of 12 months that they ended up at the bottom of the table with a net run rate of -1.299.
Delhi Capitals (-1.182 in 2014)
Delhi Capitals were Delhi Daredevils at that stage and in IPL 2014, they created the record of losing the most number of games in a single season of the IPL as they lost as many as 12 out of the 14 games they played.
Having suffered so many defeats, it was not really a surprise that their net run rate took a real beating.
Kolkata Knight Riders (-0.789 in 2009)
Kolkata Knight Riders had quite a few big names in the squad and they looked one of the strongest sides on paper in IPL 2009, but somehow they couldn’t click as a unit and the campaign turned out to be a total failure as they could secure just 7 points in 14 games and finished with a net run rate of -0.789.
Rajasthan Royals (-0.691 in 2011)
Rajasthan Royals had the worst net run rate in IPL 2011, but they still didn’t finish at the bottom of the table as they won two more games than Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) who ended their campaign at no. 8.
Most of Rajasthan’s victories in that season were by close margins, but the games that they lost, they lost them by huge margins, which was why their NRR suffered despite the fact that they were in a decent position in the table.
Chennai Super Kings (-0.455 in 2020)
CSK has been such a champion team that their NRR never went below -0.5 in the history of the IPL. Their worst NRR was registered in the ongoing season when they lost 8 games and finished at no. 7 in the table. This was the first time ever that CSK didn’t make it to the IPL playoffs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (-0.399 in 2014)
Sunrisers’ performance in IPL 2014 was not that bad as they managed to win 6 games, but because of quite a few heavy losses, their NRR slid into negative and they registered their lowest ever NRR that season.
Mumbai Indians (-0.146 in 2016)
Mumbai’s domination in the IPL can be understood from the fact that their lowest ever NRR in the IPL has been -0.146 which they registered in IPL 2016 and even that season, they were very close to making it to the playoffs as they had won 7 out of the 14 games, but eventually missed out because of poor NRR.
