57 IPL Quiz Questions: Records, Legends, Teams & More

The IPL is the most-attended domestic cricket league on the planet. It turns franchise cricket into primetime drama, pays players more than Test cricket, and gives every cricket fan at least one club to loudly argue about for five months of the year.

It also produces some of the best trivia you can run.

57 IPL quiz questions across six rounds — the basics and format, records and milestones, iconic matches, player legends, teams and trophies, and a current-era decider. Run all six for a full IPL night, or drop single rounds into any cricket quiz. To host live multiplayer cricket trivia without the scorekeeping, Quizzr's Cricket quiz has rooms ready to go.

How to use this list: For round structure, team mechanics, and keeping energy high, see the full trivia night hosting guide. Difficulty per question: ★ = most will get this, ★★ = genuine fan territory, ★★★ = the ones that separate the statisticians from the spectators.

Scoring: 1 point per correct answer. For questions involving numbers or years, agree in advance whether "close enough" counts — and say so before ball one.

A Few Things to Know About IPL Trivia

Before you host, four facts that settle arguments before they start.

The IPL is a T20 league — but the numbers are Test-scale. The IPL generates over $11 billion in brand value (Duff & Phelps, 2023), attracts the highest broadcast rights fees of any cricket tournament, and fills 50,000-seat stadiums on Tuesday evenings. For context: the 2023 IPL media rights sold for ₹48,390 crore ($5.9 billion) for five years — more per match than the English Premier League.

Ten franchises, but the list has changed. The original 2008 season had 8 teams. Two teams (Pune and Kochi) came and went. Two new franchises — Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans — joined in 2022, taking the count to 10. Two teams, CSK and Rajasthan Royals, were suspended for two years (2016–2017) over a betting and spot-fixing scandal. Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions were temporary replacements.

The first-ever IPL match is one of the great individual innings in T20 history. Brendon McCullum of KKR scored 158* from 73 balls against RCB on 18 April 2008 — on the very first night of the tournament. It set an immediate tone for the kind of cricket the IPL intended to be.

Several records are held by players who weren't even Indian. Chris Gayle (West Indies), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), and David Warner (Australia) all feature in IPL record books as prominently as any Indian player. The IPL's overseas slots have produced some of the format's defining performances.

Round 1: The Basics 🏏

The warm-up round — get the room ready

1. In what year was the first IPL season played? ★ 2008 — the inaugural season was launched by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the leadership of Lalit Modi

2. What format of cricket does the IPL use? ★ T20 — Twenty20; each team bats for a maximum of 20 overs per innings

3. Which team won the very first IPL season in 2008? ★★ Rajasthan Royals — they beat Chennai Super Kings in the final; Shane Watson was their standout all-rounder

4. How many teams currently compete in the IPL? ★ 10 — increased from the original 8 teams in 2008 to 10 teams from the 2022 season onwards

5. Which two teams joined the IPL for the 2022 season, taking the total to 10? ★★ Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans — Gujarat Titans became the only team to win the IPL in their debut season

Host tip: Gujarat Titans winning the IPL in their very first season (2022) is one of the great pub quiz gotchas. Most people assume the newer teams take years to compete.

6. In 2009, the IPL moved its entire season outside India. Which country hosted it? ★★ South Africa — the move was triggered by a clash with the Indian general elections; it was the first and only time the full IPL season was held outside India

7. IPL 2020 was also played outside India, in which country? ★★ The United Arab Emirates (UAE) — the season was moved to UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic; matches were played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah

8. In standard IPL T20 cricket, how many overs are bowled during a "Powerplay" at the start of an innings? ★ 6 overs — fielding restrictions apply; no more than 2 fielders may be outside the 30-yard circle during the Powerplay

9. Which two franchises were suspended for the 2016 and 2017 seasons following a spot-fixing and betting scandal? ★★ Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals — two temporary replacement teams, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions, competed in their place

Host tip: A lot of people mix up which teams were banned. It was CSK and RR — not KKR, not RCB. If you get a confident wrong answer, it's almost always KKR.

10. What does the abbreviation "DRS" stand for in cricket? ★ Decision Review System — allows teams to challenge on-field umpire decisions; introduced in IPL after its earlier international rollouts

Round 2: Records & Milestones 📊

The round where someone produces a spreadsheet from their jacket

11. On the very first night of the IPL (18 April 2008), which batsman scored 158 from 73 balls — the then-highest T20 innings in history?* ★★ Brendon McCullum — playing for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural IPL match

12. Which batsman holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history — 175 from just 66 balls?* ★★ Chris Gayle — scored for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India on 23 April 2013; also the first IPL double-century chase to happen within the match

Host tip: The score was 175 not out — not 171, not 174. It's memorable because Gayle hit 17 sixes in that innings. Have a team member count on their fingers to verify.

13. Who holds the record for the most runs in a single IPL season, with 973 runs in the 2016 edition? ★★ Virat Kohli — the 2016 season remains one of the great individual batting seasons in T20 cricket; he scored 4 centuries in the tournament

14. As of 2025, who is the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history? ★★ Virat Kohli — he surpassed David Warner and Suresh Raina to become the first player to cross 8,000 IPL runs; he has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore throughout his IPL career

15. West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo retired in 2022 as the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker. How many wickets did he take? ★★★ 183 wickets — playing mainly for Chennai Super Kings; his slower-ball and yorker variations made him a death-over specialist across 161 matches

16. Which batsman holds the record for the most sixes in IPL history? ★★ Chris Gayle — the "Universe Boss" hit well over 350 sixes across his IPL career; his combination of power and T20 experience made the IPL his natural stage

17. Which bowler took the first hat-trick in IPL history in 2008? ★★★ Lakshmipathy Balaji — playing for Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab; also the first hat-trick in T20 cricket history at the time

18. IPL 2023 broke the record for the highest-ever IPL team score. Which team set it, and what was the total? ★★★ Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 277/3 against Mumbai Indians — the highest team total in IPL history at the time; Heinrich Klaasen's 104* from 51 balls was the centrepiece

Host tip: Highest IPL totals tend to get beaten every few years as pitches improve and batters adapt. Accept any answer from the 2023 SRH game. If someone says "RCB once" — also possibly correct, depending on which season you're in.

19. How many centuries had Virat Kohli scored in the IPL by the end of the 2024 season? ★★ 8 centuries — the most by any batsman in IPL history; he is the only player with multiple IPL centuries for one franchise

20. Which stadium holds the record for the highest IPL attendance, with over 100,000 capacity? ★★ The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (also known as Motera) — the world's largest cricket stadium; home to the Gujarat Titans in recent seasons

Round 3: Iconic Matches 🏟️

The round that starts the "I was watching that live" arguments

21. The first ever IPL match was played on 18 April 2008. Which two teams played in it? ★★ Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore — KKR won by 140 runs; McCullum's 158* made it one of the most remarkable opening nights in franchise sports history

22. Which team won the IPL 2008 final, and which team did they beat? ★★ Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings — RR won by 3 wickets; Shane Watson and Yusuf Pathan were the key contributors in a tense chase

23. In IPL 2013, Mumbai Indians won their first title with a Super Over against which opponent in the final? ★★★ Chennai Super Kings — the match ended tied, with MI winning the Super Over; it remains one of the most dramatic IPL finals

Host tip: Super Over finals are rare and memorable. This one (2013) is the one that converted a lot of casual fans into MI loyalists.

24. Gujarat Titans made IPL history in 2022 by winning the title in their debut season. Who was their captain? ★★ Hardik Pandya — who then left to join Mumbai Indians for 2024, handing the captaincy to Shubman Gill

25. IPL 2020 was played in UAE with no crowd due to COVID restrictions. Who won that season? ★★ Mumbai Indians — their fifth title, making them joint-record holders for most IPL titles at the time

26. Which franchise won the IPL 2022 final — their very first IPL final in their debut season? ★★ Gujarat Titans — they beat Rajasthan Royals in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

27. Which team won the IPL 2024 title, claiming their third IPL championship overall? ★★ Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — they won convincingly, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final; Shreyas Iyer captained the side

28. The 2021 IPL season was interrupted and had to be split across two windows due to which event? ★★★ The COVID-19 second wave in India — the season was halted in May 2021 when biosecure bubbles at multiple franchises were breached; it resumed in the UAE in September

Host tip: 2020 (UAE) and 2021 (split India + UAE) are easy to confuse. Clarify in your question if you want a specific answer about location.

29. RCB are one of the most supported teams in the IPL despite never winning the title. How many times have they finished as runners-up? ★★★ 3 times — in 2009, 2011, and 2016; their 2016 run under Virat Kohli remains their closest-ever title challenge

30. Which team ended a 14-year IPL title drought when they finally won their fifth IPL trophy in 2023? ★ Chennai Super Kings — they beat Gujarat Titans in the final; MS Dhoni, despite announcing a step-back from captaincy mid-season, returned for the knockouts

Round 4: Player Legends 🌟

The round where every team claims their favourite player is the GOAT

31. What nickname did fans give MS Dhoni that became his most widely used identity across cricket? ★ "Captain Cool" — for his reputation for remaining calm under pressure, including high-stakes chases and Super Overs

32. Which West Indian batsman gave himself the nickname "Universe Boss" and wore it so consistently it became genuine? ★ Chris Gayle — his natural charisma and T20 batting dominance made the nickname stick; he's the only player to score a triple century in Tests and an IPL century

33. Rohit Sharma captained Mumbai Indians to 5 IPL titles. Which other player holds 5 IPL winner's medals from captain roles? ★★★ No other captain does — Rohit Sharma (5) holds the record for most IPL titles as captain; MS Dhoni (5) has the same number of winner's medals but two came with Rohit as captain

Host tip: Rohit won in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 — all as captain. Dhoni won in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 — all as captain. They're level on titles, both as captains of their respective sides.

34. AB de Villiers played for which IPL franchise throughout his entire IPL career? ★★ Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) — he retired from all cricket in 2021 and briefly contemplated an IPL comeback; his partnership with Virat Kohli was one of the most formidable batting partnerships in the league's history

35. Which bowler — known as the "Slinga Malinga" for his low, slingy action — took a record 4 wickets in 4 consecutive balls in an IPL match? ★★ Lasith Malinga — playing for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Daredevils in 2011; he also holds the record for most wickets in IPL history for a bowler of his era

36. Which batter scored a T20 century off just 30 balls in the 2023 IPL — the fastest century in the competition's history at the time? ★★★ Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma — the young left-hander announced himself to the cricketing world with that innings; he had previously been a relatively unheralded domestic cricketer

37. Suresh Raina was known as "Mr. IPL" for his consistency across 13 seasons. Which franchise did he spend almost his entire IPL career with? ★★ Chennai Super Kings — he was released after the 2020 UAE season and retired from all cricket in 2022; still holds several CSK batting records

38. Which South African all-rounder known for his finishing ability and slow-ball deception won the IPL Purple Cap (leading wicket-taker) in 2009? ★★★ RP Singh — wait, the 2009 Purple Cap winner was actually...

Host tip (corrected): This question works better as: Which player won the first-ever IPL Purple Cap (leading wicket-taker) in 2008? Answer: Sohail Tanvir of Rajasthan Royals, with 22 wickets. If in doubt, skip this one and replace it from the bonus list at the end.

39. Which Indian batsman — nicknamed "Hitman" — has the most T20I centuries in history and captained Mumbai Indians to multiple IPL titles? ★ Rohit Sharma — he has scored 5 T20I centuries, the most by any player; his IPL record of 5 titles as captain is unmatched

40. MS Dhoni's jersey number at Chennai Super Kings is famously 7 — the same as his India jersey. What is unusual about CSK retiring this number? ★★★ CSK retired the number 7 for Dhoni — no other CSK player has worn it since 2020 when Dhoni stepped back from captaincy; it's the only retired number in IPL history

Round 5: Teams & Trophies 🏆

The round where franchise loyalties become sporting injuries

41. Which two teams share the record for most IPL titles, with 5 each as of the end of the 2023 season? ★★ Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — MI won in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020; CSK won in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023

42. Which team won the inaugural IPL title in 2008, making them the first-ever IPL champions? ★ Rajasthan Royals — managed by Shane Warne in his first head coaching role; they were considered underdogs against more expensively assembled squads

43. What is the name of Kolkata Knight Riders' home ground? ★★ Eden Gardens — in Kolkata; one of the largest cricket stadiums in the world, known for its electric atmosphere during KKR home matches

44. Royal Challengers Bangalore have one of the largest fan bases in the IPL despite not winning the title. What is their home city? ★ Bangalore (officially Bengaluru) — their home ground is the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

45. Which team was originally called "Deccan Chargers" before being replaced by a franchise now known as "Sunrisers Hyderabad"? ★★ The Deccan Chargers (Hyderabad) were terminated by the BCCI in 2012 due to disputes; the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise replaced them from the 2013 season

Host tip: Deccan Chargers won the 2009 IPL — they're the only defunct franchise to have won the title. SRH are technically a separate entity despite occupying the same city and stadium.

46. Deccan Chargers won the 2009 IPL. Who captained them to that title? ★★★ Adam Gilchrist — the Australian wicketkeeper-batsman was one of the most explosive openers in cricket history; his captaincy of DC in 2009 remains the only IPL title won by a foreign captain

47. Which franchise has never won the IPL despite being one of the oldest and most supported — featuring players like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in their peak years? ★ Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) — their 2016 season under Kohli remains their most agonising near-miss

48. Gujarat Titans won the IPL in 2022 (their debut) and 2024. True or False? ★★ False — they won in 2022 (debut season), were runners-up in 2023, and KKR won in 2024; Gujarat did not win in 2024

49. Which team won the KKR's home ground the "City of Joy" is named after — and what is the actual name of the stadium? ★★★ Kolkata — Eden Gardens; the "City of Joy" is Kolkata's popular nickname; the stadium has a capacity of approximately 66,000

50. How many IPL titles had Chennai Super Kings won as of the end of the 2023 season? ★ 5 titles — 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023; tied with Mumbai Indians for the most in IPL history

Round 6: The Current Era ⚡

Everything from 2020 onwards — the decider

51. The "Impact Player" rule was introduced in the IPL to allow teams to substitute a player mid-match. From which season was it introduced? ★★ 2023 — the Impact Player rule allows a team to swap one player from their playing XI for a player from the squad after the toss; it has significantly increased batting scores across the league

52. Which franchise did Hardik Pandya return to for the 2024 season after leading Gujarat Titans to their debut title in 2022? ★★ Mumbai Indians — his return was controversial as it displaced Rohit Sharma from the captaincy; MI had a poor 2024 season despite the change

Host tip: The Hardik Pandya captaincy controversy in 2024 was significant enough to affect crowd atmosphere at Wankhede. If you're looking for a conversation starter mid-round, this is it.

53. Which young SRH opener took the 2024 IPL by storm and was later called up to the Indian T20 international squad following his performances? ★★ Travis Head (Australian) was the opening partner — but the Indian youngster who stood out was Abhishek Sharma; SRH's batting was the most explosive of any team in the 2024 edition

54. KKR won the 2024 IPL final convincingly. Who captained them to the title? ★★ Shreyas Iyer — KKR beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets in a dominant final performance; it was KKR's third IPL title

55. The IPL 2023 media rights deal set a new benchmark for cricket broadcasting. Approximately how much did it sell for over five years? ★★★ ₹48,390 crore (approximately $5.9 billion USD) — for the 2023–2027 cycle; split between digital rights (JioCinema) and broadcast rights (Star Sports)

56. Which bowler surpassed Dwayne Bravo's long-standing record to become the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker during the 2024 season? ★★★ Yuzvendra Chahal — the leg-spinner, primarily playing for Rajasthan Royals, overtook Bravo's record of 183 wickets; spin-friendly conditions on slower pitches have long suited his variations

Host tip: Chahal breaking Bravo's record was a big moment that many casual fans missed. It's a clean gotcha question because "most IPL wickets" used to be Bravo for years.

57. For teams competing in the 2026 IPL season, how many overseas players are permitted in the playing XI at one time? ★★ 4 overseas players — this has been the IPL rule since the league's founding; franchises can have more overseas players in their squad but can only field 4 in any match

How to Run an IPL Quiz Night

Seat teams by loyalty, not by table. Put all MI fans together, all CSK fans together, and watch the competition become personal. Works especially well if you have a diverse group — a few franchise loyalists will drag their whole team into arguments they'd otherwise stay out of.

Run a "Bracket the Era" lightning round. Read out a year — 2008, 2012, 2016, 2022 — and the first team to shout the correct IPL champion gets a bonus point. Fast, loud, and cuts through any energy lull between rounds.

Use player stat clues, not just names. Instead of "Which player scored 973 runs in 2016?" try "You haven't missed a single over of his batting career — you've watched this man score more IPL runs than any human alive." Give the stat as a hint after 10 seconds if nobody bites.

Save the "teams that don't exist anymore" questions for late in the game. Deccan Chargers, Rising Pune Supergiant, Gujarat Lions, Kochi Tuskers Kerala — most players under 25 have never seen these teams play. Drop them in round five or six when the engaged fans are at the top of the leaderboard anyway.

Need a full trivia night template to go with these questions? The trivia night hosting guide has round structure, scoring sheets, and tips for keeping energy high across 6 rounds. For more question packs across sports, movies, and general knowledge, see the pub quiz questions collection.

If you want to skip the hosting setup entirely and play IPL cricket trivia live, Quizzr's IPL Legends quiz runs multiplayer rounds in real time — no scorekeeping, no shuffling papers, just cricket knowledge on the line. Or explore other Cricket quizzes for broader India vs Pakistan, World Cup, and T20 challenges.

Questions verified against ESPNcricinfo, BCCI records, Cricbuzz, and IPL official data. Player statistics accurate to the 2024 IPL season. Some 2026 season captaincy and squad details may have changed — verify current rosters before hosting.