5 worst starts in IPL

Worst start in any sport is a topic to discuss. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is winless in 5 opening games in IPL 2026.

As of April 15, 2026, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are enduring their worst start in IPL history, remaining winless after their first five matches (0-5) in the IPL 2026 season. This is one of the worst starts in IPL. We are going to discuss the 5 worst IPL starts.

1. Mumbai Indians (2022)–worst start and end at the bottom of the table

The 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season was historically difficult for the Mumbai Indians (MI). For the first time in their history, they finished at the bottom of the points table (10th place).

 The team has lost 4 matches (with one no-result) in the initial phase of the season. Following a 32-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings, they sit at the bottom of the table.

Mumbai Indians (MI) experienced their worst-ever start, becoming the first team in the league’s history to lose their first eight consecutive matches. Led by Rohit Sharma, the five-time champions struggled with both bat and ball.

MI’s First Seven Games of IPL 2022

Match	Opponent	Result	Notable Performances
1	Delhi Capitals (DC)	Lost by 4 wickets	Ishan Kishan (81*), Murugan Ashwin (2/14)
2	Rajasthan Royals (RR)	Lost by 23 runs	Ishan Kishan (54), Tilak Varma (61), Jasprit Bumrah (3/17)
3	Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)	Lost by 5 wickets	Suryakumar Yadav (52), Tilak Varma (38*), Murugan Ashwin (2/25)
4	Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)	Lost by 7 wickets	Suryakumar Yadav (68*), Jaydev Unadkat (1/30)
5	Punjab Kings (PBKS)	Lost by 12 runs	Dewald Brevis (49), Tilak Varma (36), Basil Thampi (2/47)
6	Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)	Lost by 18 runs	Dewald Brevis (31), Tilak Varma (26), Jaydev Unadkat (2/32)
7	Chennai Super Kings (CSK)	Lost by 3 wickets	Tilak Varma (51*), Daniel Sams (4/30), Jaydev Unadkat (2/48)

Key Highlights

• Historical Record: MI became the first franchise in 15 years of IPL history to start a season with seven losses, setting a record for the worst start.
• Fastest Fifty Against MI: During Match 14, KKR’s Pat Cummins equaled the record for the fastest IPL half-century at the time, reaching 50 in just 14 balls to secure a victory over Mumbai.
• Breaking the Streak: Mumbai finally secured their first win of the season in their ninth match, defeating Rajasthan Royals by 5 wickets.
• Top Performers: Despite the team’s worst start and struggle, Ishan Kishan finished the season as MI’s leading run-scorer with 418 runs, and Jasprit Bumrah was the top wicket-taker with 15 wickets. 

Key Disappointing Performers for MI in 2022:

• Rohit Sharma: Struggled significantly with the bat, averaging under 20 throughout the season.
• Kieron Pollard: Failed to deliver with both bat and ball, often struggling to finish games.
• Jaydev Unadkat: Picked up only six wickets in five games with a high economy rate of 9.50. 

2. Royal Challengers Bangalore (2019): Opened with 6 consecutive losses

The 2019 season was one of the most challenging years for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, the team finished at the bottom of the points table (8th position) and had the worst start.

Key Highlights of 2019:

• A Nightmare Start: RCB lost their first 6 consecutive matches, which made it nearly impossible for them to qualify for the playoffs.
• Final Standings: Out of 14 matches, they won 5, lost 8, and 1 match ended in a no result, finishing with 11 points.
• The CSK Thriller: One of the season’s highlights was their 1-run win over Chennai Super Kings, where MS Dhoni’s heroics nearly took the game away, but Umesh Yadav defended 26 runs in the final over.

Top Performers:

• Virat Kohli: The leading run-scorer for the team with 464 runs, including a brilliant century against KKR.
• AB de Villiers: Scored 442 runs with five half-centuries, often carrying the middle order.
• Yuzvendra Chahal: The pick of the bowlers with 18 wickets.
• Navdeep Saini: Impressed everyone with his pace and took 11 wickets in his debut season for RCB.

Why they struggled:

Low Totals: In the tournament opener against CSK, they were bowled out for just 70 runs
Bowling at Death: The team struggled to contain runs in the final overs.Over-dependence: The batting relied heavily on the duo of Kohli and De Villiers. All of these cost the team and resulted in the worst start, with 6 losses from the beginning.

In the 2019 IPL season, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had the worst start. The team also finished at the bottom of the table. Several key players failed to live up to expectations. Here are the players often considered the “flops” of that season:

• Shimron Hetmyer: Bought for ₹4.2 crore, he struggled immensely at the start, scoring only 15 runs in his first four matches (including a duck). While he scored a fifty in his final game, he was dropped for most of the mid-season due to poor form.
• Shivam Dube: Despite a high price tag of ₹5 crore, the all-rounder couldn’t make an impact with either bat or ball, failing to finish games as expected.
• Mohammed Siraj: He was very expensive throughout the season. His low point came against KKR, where he was barred from bowling further after sending down two dangerous beamers, having conceded 36 runs in just 2.2 overs.
• Umesh Yadav: A veteran who struggled with his line and length, particularly in the death overs. He finished the season with an economy rate of over 10, often leaking runs at crucial moments.
• Colin de Grandhomme: Expected to provide balance as an all-rounder, he failed to contribute significantly in any department and was eventually phased out of the starting XI

That season, RCb lost in 6 opening game, considered as one of the worst starts of IPL history.

The team, captained by Ajinkya Rahane and coached by Abhishek Nayar, has struggled with a batting collapse in the power play, scoring just 36 runs in one particular match, and a weak spin-bowling performance.

3. Delhi Daredevils (2013): worst start with 6 consecutive losses

Delhi Daredevils (DD) had a worst start to their 2013 IPL season, losing their opening match to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 6 wickets on April 3, 2013, where they were bowled out for 128. The team, captained by Mahela Jayawardene, went on to lose their first six consecutive matches, effectively ruining their tournament early on. 

Key Details of DD’s 2013 IPL Start:

Comparison: This 0-6 start was one of the worst starts in IPL history at the time, later equaled by the Mumbai Indians in 2022
Initial Losing Streak: 6 losses in a row

Total Standing: The team finished last in the league, winning only 3 out of 16 matches.

Context: The worst start was highlighted by low scores and losses to teams like Chennai Super Kings (by 86 runs) and Mumbai Indians.

Key Reasons for Failure in 2013:

• Injury and Unavailable Star Players: The team suffered significantly from the absence of key big-hitters like Kevin Pietersen, which severely impacted their batting stability and explosiveness.
• Poor Batting Form and Inconsistency: Experienced players like Mahela Jayawardene and Virender Sehwag failed to deliver consistently, causing the batting to crumble repeatedly.
• Failed Top-Order and Lack of Local Talent: The team failed to find the right team composition, particularly in the top order, with inexperienced local players failing to fill the gap.
• Struggling Bowling Attack: Despite having key bowlers, the unit failed to defend totals, with bowlers like Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav failing to make an impact, with Yadav conceding the most runs in the league that season.
• Loss of Confidence: The team entered a downward spiral, losing their last six games, reflecting a lack of confidence and failure to adapt.
• Poor Management/Retentions: The team struggled to find balance after failing to retain key players from their successful 2012 campaign. 

While the entire team struggled with the worst start, here are the players often considered the biggest “flops” of that season based on expectations versus performance:

• Virender Sehwag: As the team’s icon, his form was a major letdown. He managed only 295 runs in 13 innings with a strike rate of 126.60—well below his usual explosive standards.
• Umesh Yadav: Despite being a primary strike bowler, he conceded 508 runs in 16 matches, which was a record for the most runs conceded by a bowler in a single season at that time. He also gave away 65 runs in 4 overs against RCB.
• Morne Morkel: After a stellar 2012 season, Morkel struggled in 2013, taking only 7 wickets in 10 matches at a very high average of 47.85.
• Mahela Jayawardene: Serving as the captain, he failed to lead from the front, scoring only 331 runs in 15 matches at a low strike rate of 115.73.
• Irfan Pathan: He was ineffective as an all-rounder, taking only 10 wickets in 15 matches and failing to provide the necessary finishing power with the bat.

The team’s struggle was further compounded by the absence of Kevin Pietersen, who missed the entire season due to injury. That was also a major reason for the worst start and worst campaign of DD in IPL 2013.

4. Deccan Chargers (2012) –Worst start in the final year

The Deccan Chargers competed in the 2012 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, which was their final year before the franchise was terminated. They finished 8th in the points table, having won only 4 out of their 16 matches that season.  DC never recovered after the worst start.

The decline of the Deccan Chargers in 2012 was a mix of a financial crisis off the field and inconsistent play on it. Here are the primary reasons why they struggled:

1. Off-Field Financial Instability

The team’s owners, Deccan Chronicle Holdings, were facing a massive financial crisis. This led to:

• Payment Delays: Reports of players not being paid on time created a tense and uncertain atmosphere within the camp.
• Legal Battles: The constant threat of the franchise being terminated by the BCCI hung over the team throughout the season, serving as a major distraction.

2. Poor On-Field Execution

While the team had stars, they failed to perform as a cohesive unit:

• Abysmal Fielding: Coach Darren Lehmann famously described the team’s fielding as “Under-14s level” after several dropped catches and missed run-outs cost them close matches.
• Lack of Bowling Support: Dale Steyn was incredible (18 wickets with an economy of 6.11), but he had almost no support. The absence of Ishant Sharma (injury) and the departure of Pragyan Ojha left the bowling attack thin.
• Captain’s Poor Form: Kumar Sangakkara struggled significantly with the bat, averaging just 18.18. His lack of runs put immense pressure on the middle order and eventually led him to drop himself from the playing XI to make room for another overseas player.

3. A worst Start

The Chargers lost their first five matches and didn’t secure a win until their eighth game of the season. This early slump effectively knocked them out of playoff contention before the tournament was even halfway through, destroying the team’s morale.

4. Narrow Losses

Interestingly, they weren’t always “blown away.” They lost several games in the final over, proving they had the talent to compete but lacked the “finishing instinct” to close out matches under pressure.

While stars like Shikhar Dhawan and Dale Steyn performed well, several high-profile players failed to deliver. Here is the list of several players who flopped in that season. Their poor form caused the worst start of the Deccan Chargers.

• Parthiv Patel: He was the team’s most expensive buy in the 2012 auction ($650,000) but was a major disappointment. He managed only 194 runs in 13 innings without a single half-century.
• Kumar Sangakkara: As the captain, his poor batting form (200 runs in 12 games) was a huge setback. His struggle was so significant that he eventually dropped himself from the playing XI to make room for another overseas player.
• Daniel Christian: Expected to be a key all-rounder, he struggled to provide balance, failing to make a significant impact with either bat or ball throughout most of the season.
• Abhishek Jhunjhunwala: Despite getting multiple opportunities in the middle order, he failed to provide any stability, scoring very few runs at a low strike rate.

The team’s worst start, inconsistency, and the failure of these key players led to it being the franchise’s final season before it was replaced by Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013.

5. Kolkata Knight Riders (2026) – Worst start in this season

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are currently facing their worst start to the 2026 IPL season. As of mid-April, the team sits at the bottom of the points table (10th position) with only 1 point.

2026 Season Performance Summary

The team has struggled to find momentum under the new leadership of Ajinkya Rahane (Captain) and Abhishek Nayar (Head Coach).

• Matches Played: 5
• Results: 4 Losses, 1 No Result (due to rain)
• Current Standing: 10th Place

Everything is going wrong for the KKR this season.

At the auction table, they built a side that had top-order firepower and variety in their bowling attack. By their first game of IPL 2026, they were left with Blessing Muzarabani and Umran Malik as their only capped fast bowlers.

KKR has reason to feel aggrieved for the worst start and sitting winless after five matches. They lost so much of their bowling firepower – Harshit Rana and Akash Deep to injuries and Mustafzur Rahman to non-cricketing reasons, and are yet to have Matheesha Pathirana in their squad – that even getting on the park feels like a pretty cool thing.

As of April 15, 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) face a very difficult path to reach the IPL 2026 playoffs (2nd round). They are currently at the bottom of the table with 0 wins in 5 matches.

The Math for the Playoffs, despite the worst start

With 9 matches remaining in the league stage, here is what KKR needs to qualify:

• To reach 17 points (Safe Zone): They must win at least 8 out of their last 9 games. This is usually the benchmark to guarantee a spot.
• To reach 15 points (Risky Zone): If they win 7 out of 9 games, they will finish with 15 points. In this scenario, they would rely on other teams’ results and their Net Run Rate (NRR).

Key Challenges

The team is struggling with the poor batting form of senior players and injuries to key bowlers like Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana. Captain Ajinkya Rahane will need a near-flawless run in the second half of the season to keep their chances alive.

Conclusion

Still, KKR’s chance to advance is alive, but there may be some changes. Team uses Sunil Naraine as an opener against CSK. Naraine was not impressive in that game. If Naraine gets his rhythm, that may be a turning point for KKR.

Rinku Simgh is not on fire this season. Hopefully, Singh may also be back in form. Blessing Muzarabani as a frontline pacer could add much-needed experience and variety. His height and bounce can trouble batters, even if he concedes runs at times. Rotating the young Indian pacers around him could help create a more balanced bowling unit.

These combinations may back KKR into a race despite its worst start.