Top 5 Most Unsuccessful Team in IPL

The Indian Premier League is the best T20 league in the world, and the reputation set by this league is very high. As cricket fans, we only look at the best teams of this league because the teams that are successful in this league have performed consistently well in this league. On the other hand, teams that haven’t won any trophies yet have struggled since the beginning of this tournament.

Teams like Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders have done consistently well in this tournament and won the IPL Trophy multiple times. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have won the trophy 5 times, which speaks about the legacy of these teams. KKR has also won the trophy three times. These teams are the best IPL teams in the history of this league.

Ranking Criteria

The term unsuccessful is very subjective, and its meaning varies from person to person. However, to judge a team in a tournament, there are certain factors on which we can analyse how unsuccessful a team is in a tournament. Here are some factors on which we will rank all the unsuccessful teams in IPL.

• Lowest Win% ( minimum 3 seasons): Based on the lowest win%, the unsuccessfulness can be judged for any team, as the team that dominates any tournament is considered a successful team, and the teams that fail in this are the unsuccessful teams in the IPL.
• Titles won: The teams with the longest title-less streak can be considered as one of the unsuccessful teams in IPL, as the success of any team is directly dependent on on number of trophies they have won.
• Finals lost: To be considered successful, a team has to win the final of the league, and it is the defining criterion to rank the unsuccessful teams.
• Play-offs misses: Play-off qualification means that a team has been consistent enough throughout the long IPL season, and is directly correlated to the success or failure of a team.

Top 5 Unsuccessful Teams in IPL

The only list no team wants to top is the No. 1 worst team in IPL. Unfortunately, this spot goes to the team with the weakest performance, losing the most matches and finishing last. They struggle in all the departments with poor batting, bowling, or teamwork. Some fans also call these teams the waste team in IPL, as they have consistently given below-average performance over the years. The consistent change in the leadership is also one of the major reasons for the failures of these teams. Let's find out the no 1 worst team in IPL.

Most Unsuccessful Team in IPL

There are a few teams which have faced criticism for underperforming in the IPL. Teams like Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been quite inconsistent over the years. Their long-standing drought for the title makes them an example of an unsuccessful team

1. Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings is the most unsuccessful team in the history of this league. Their performance has not been good enough. One of the major reasons for that is the consistent change in their leadership department and coaches. Punjab Kings has played a total of 246 matches, in which they have victory in 109 matches and lost 133 matches. Their winning percentage is the lowest in this tournament (44.30).

They have also struggled in the qualification for the playoffs, as they qualified just twice. This team is considered as worst team in IPL. Their net worth is also the lowest among all the teams that have been playing since the inaugural edition. However, this season they had one of their best campaigns ever. Their new captain, Shreyas Iyer leading the team from the front. Will he be able to change the fortunes of PBKS and take them to their maiden IPL title? We shall find out soon that if PBKS can remove the tag of being the worst IPL team.

2. Delhi Capitals

The 2nd most unsuccessful team in IPL is Delhi Capitals, they have the 2nd lowest winning percentage (44.44). They changed their team’s name in the year 2019, before they were known as Delhi Daredevils. Their fortune changed after they changed their name. After 2019, they started performing well under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and also started qualifying consistently for the play-offs. However, they are still one of the worst teams in the IPL. DC has played a total of 252 matches in the IPL. Out of 252 matches, DC won 112 matches and lost 134 matches. Their win% is 44.44 (2nd lowest). Also, they are yet to win the IPL title.

3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with the most loyal fans in the world, are also on the list of the most unsuccessful team in IPL. Despite having the best batting trio (which included Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers) in the world, RCB has yet to win this tournament. RCB has been known for its heavy batting lineup and always has the best batters around the world in their squad. This team is also considered one of the worst team in ipl.

But their bowling line-up hasn’t been good enough to win the title. This team has been the most popular in the IPL since the beginning of the IPL league. RCB has played a total of 246 matches in IPL history. They have won 118 and lost 128 matches. Their win percentage is 48%. They have gone into finals three times (2009, 2011, and 2016), but still, they weren’t able to grab the victory from their opponent. However, they have been an unlucky team in IPL, as they have played 3 finals yet have not become champions a single time.

4. Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals were the inaugural champions of the IPL, but since then, they have never won the title and have been quite inconsistent, often found at the bottom half of the table. They were also banned for two seasons (2016-2017) due to a betting scandal, which further affected their legacy. In the last seven seasons of the league, the Rajasthan Royals have only qualified twice in 2022 and 2024. Although they do have young, talented players but they have been able to perform at their best in the most crucial matches, such as the 2022 IPL final against Gujarat Titans. Rajasthan Royals have been in the play-offs 8 times but yet never managed to win the title apart from the first season in 2008.

5. Pune Warriors India

Pune Warriors India have played in the IPL for 3 seasons from 2011-2013 before being terminated due to financial issues and disputes with the BCCI. Pune Warriors India have been one of the worst team in the league as they never managed to qualify for the playoffs and have a win percentage of just 26.08%. They played 46 matches in the league and only managed to win 12 of those games, and lost 33. They were known for frequent squad and captaincy changes and could never find a stable playing combination. PWI have the longest losing streak in the IPL, they lost 11 consecutive matches in 2013.

Why Punjab Kings are the No. 1 Worst IPL Team?

Punjab Kings (PBKS), earlier known as Kings XI Punjab, are often seen as one of the weakest teams in the IPL. Even though they’ve been part of the league since it started in 2008, they’ve never won the title. The closest they came was in 2014, when they reached the final but lost. Since then, they’ve struggled to even make the playoffs regularly. One of the main reasons Punjab Kings haven’t done well in the IPL is the constant chopping and changing in their setup.

Almost every season, there’s a new captain, new coaches, or a completely different game plan. This lack of stability makes it hard for the team to grow together. Their auction strategy hasn’t helped either—they often spend big money on star players who don’t live up to expectations or fail to put together a well-balanced squad. But, there are certain changes in IPL 2025 for Punjab Kings; they have got their leader in Shreyas Iyer, along with Head Coach Ricky Ponting. This captain-coach duo have been really successful in the past as well, and hopefully they will turn things around for Punjab and lead them to their maiden IPL title.