Cricket
Still Chasing Glory: The IPL Teams Yet to Lift the Coveted Trophy
Even after 18 seasons, some Indian Premier League franchises have not claimed the title, including Delhi Capitals. SportsBoom has looked at the data and which teams could be hoping for a maiden trophy in 2025.
Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer//Getty Images
The Indian Premier League is currently in its 18th season and is rated among the greatest 20-over domestic cricket tournaments.
Starting from eight franchises in 2008 to its latest iteration of 10 teams in 2025, the intense nature of the competition is quite clear.
While some teams have gone on to claim multiple trophies, other franchises are still hunting for their maiden success in the IPL arena.
This underscores the challenging nature of the T20 competition, where a lengthy group stage and playoffs are often a bridge too far.
SportsBoom has looked at those franchises without IPL trophy glory to their names and which of them could change the game in future.
IPL Teams Yet to Win: The Elusive Trophy
Part of the Indian Premier League’s appeal is its unpredictable nature, where form teams in one season can find themselves bottom of the table in the next campaign.
There are many factors worth considering, with teams having to balance their spending on keeping established stars anDelhi Capitalsd bringing in bigger stars in the auctions.
Then there are other aspects such as variations in player form due to injuries or confidence, the structure of the IPL playoffs and balancing a team for the best results.
Which IPL Teams Haven’t Won: Contenders Still Waiting
Despite being involved since its inception 18 seasons ago and appearing in the IPL playoffs, some current teams are still searching for their first title.
SportsBoom has compiled a data table based on league teams that never won the title and how they have performed throughout the year’s tournaments.
| Team | Best Result | Seasons | Playoff Qualifications |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Runners-up (3 times) | 17 | 9 |
| Delhi Capitals | Runners-up (1 time) | 17 | 6 |
| Punjab Kings | Runners-up (1 time) | 17 | 2 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 3rd Place (2 times) | 3 | 2 |
IPL Non-winning Teams List: Spotlight on Franchises Yet to Win
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Despite being one of the most popular franchises with all-star line-ups, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL record does not list a win.
Curiously, RCB has reached the final three times and has qualified for the playoffs nine times in 17 seasons - a ratio of almost 50 per cent.
Perhaps the closest the franchise came was in 2016, when Virat Kohli scored a massive 973 runs to propel them into playoff contention.
However, a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final saw Royal Challengers’ hopes dashed, and they have been waiting since.
In the new season, RCB have started as one of the strongest contenders and have remained a consistent presence in the playoff positions.
Delhi Capitals
The capital city team - under its previous name of Delhi Daredevils - reached the semi-finals of the 20-over tournament twice in its first two seasons.
For the next 10 campaigns, the team now known as Delhi Capitals advanced to the playoffs just twice before a major rebrand sparked some new life.
DC reached the final of the 2020 Indian Premier League before a five-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians saw them settle for a runners-up position.
They have been in tremendous form in the 2025 season so far and hope is building that a title would be part of Delhi Capitals’ IPL history soon.
With a strong balance of core players and budding talent, they would need to avoid peaking too early to keep their best XI ready for the next round.
Delhi Capitals' Mitchell Starc//Getty Images
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings’ IPL performance has been a story of ups and downs, even when the franchise was still known as Kings XI Punjab.
In the first-ever campaign, the team powered into semi-final contention before losing to eventual runners-up Chennai Super Kings.
Kings XI Punjab topped the table in 2014 and were a genuine threat to all, only to lose in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Even with a major rebrand in 2021, PBKS has not reached the playoff stage since and is among the IPL teams to never win a title.
As for the current season, Punjab Kings has enjoyed a solid win-loss record and are looking strong to advance to the playoffs.
Lucknow Super Giants
Despite being one of the newer teams, Lucknow Super Giants’ IPL progress has left them with a sterling record by comparison.
From their first season, the franchise has made the playoffs twice (in 2022 and 2023) and finished both seasons in third.
Lucknow also appears destined for a place in the 2025 playoffs, with Nicholas Pooran holding the purple cap until recently.
While the team might not have the same lineage in the IPL, their consistency is solid and they would be aiming for the final.
Compared to teams like RCB, Lucknow’s wait for a title has been shorter but their trophy ambition would be at that level.
IPL Teams with Longest Wait for Title: Key Observations
From the statistics table, it is clear that reaching the playoffs is no guarantee of a title and speaks volumes about the difficulty of clinching an IPL title.
Royal Challengers, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings have been part of the league since its inception and would be desperate to be listed as winners.
Conversely, Lucknow Super Giants have shown that a team’s time in the IPL is also not a marker of success and they would want their time at the top.
Conclusion
Legions of fans of their respective franchises begin each season hopeful that it could be their team’s year but many are left disappointed.
While Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders have done it more than once, it’s the underdog story that adds drama each year.
With RCB, DC and PBKS all in contention for the playoff spots this year, their pursuit of a maiden trophy could be 2025’s major story.
Teams with historical IPL inclusions, especially long-standing ones like Royal Challengers, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings, often carry unique narratives and fan expectations, which can subtly influence betting psychology and market perceptions season after season.
Which of these four franchises do you believe will finally break their tournament duck and raise the Indian Premier League trophy next?
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.