According to reports, broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been banned in Afghanistan by the country's new Taliban government. Top Afghanistan cricketers like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are taking part in IPL 2021. The IPL 2021 season resumed in the United Arab Emirates, which is also an Islamic state. However, it resumes on Sunday (September 19) with a game between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians.

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Former Afghanistan Cricket Board media manager M Ibrahim Momand tweets stating that due to possible anti-Islam content. The girls were dancing and the attendance of barred hair women in the Islamic Emirates of the Taliban, IPL broadcast has banned in the country.

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Other journalists from the country also reports that the Taliban government had banned the IPL being broadcast. Last week, Afghanistan's new sports chief said that the Taliban will allow 400 sports. But, declined to confirm if women can play a single one. "Please don't ask more questions about women," Bashir Ahmad Rustamzai told news agency AFP.

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During the extremists' brutal and oppressive regime from 1996 to 2001, women were completely banned from playing any sport while men's sport was tightly controlled. Women were also largely banned from education and work. Many Afghan women and women's rights activists globally fear a repeat of such policies after the group toppled the US-backed government last month.

With the IPL 2025 playoffs just around the corner, the tension is reaching its peak. Over the years, the Indian Premier League has given fans plenty of memorable moments full of surprises at the fag end of the group stage. Generally, the fans have to wait till the last over of the group stage to know who will qualify for the IPL Playoffs.

Sometimes, it even goes to the final ball as well, to decide the fourth team to qualify.

From teams that regularly reach the playoffs to underdogs who’ve shocked everyone, the path to the final four has always been full of drama. 

Let's take a look at the IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025.

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2008 | RR, KXIP, CSK, DD

2009 | DD, CSK, RCB, Deccan Chargers

2010 | MI, Deccan Chargers, CSK, RCB

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2011 | RCB, CSK, MI, KKR 

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2012 | DD, KKR, MI, CSK

2013 | CSK, MI, RR, SRH

2014 | KXIP, KKR, CSK, MI

2015 | CSK, MI, RCB, RR 

2016 | Gujarat Lions, RCB, SRH, KKR

2017 | MI, RPSG, SRH, KKR

2018 | SRH, CSK, KKR, RR

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2019 | MI, CSK, DC, SRH

2020 | MI, DC, SRH, RCB

2021 | DC, CSK, RCB, KKR

2022 | GT, RR, LSG, RCB

2023 | GT, LSG, CSK, MI

2024 | KKR, SRH, RR, RCB

2025 | GT, RCB, PBKS, MI

Beyond being the champions, which teams have consistently made their way to the finals? It is time to reflect on the heroic battle and consistency in reaching the IPL final.

Check out the ones who hold the potential to beat CSK’s dominance in this field and become the team with the most appearances in IPL history.

CSK's unmatched dominance | 10 finals

Chennai Super Kings hold a remarkable record of reaching the IPL final the most number of times, with a win percentage of 50%. CSK started this journey in 2008 when they got into the final for the first time against RR.

CSK has won 5 out of 10 times in their IPL final appearances. Their quality team performance and ability to play good cricket with consistency have made them one of the most successful franchises in IPL.

They are also the only team to reach the IPL final 4 times in a row.

CSK's 10 IPL Finals:

1. vs RR (2008)- lost by 3 wickets 
2. vs MI (2010)- won by 22 runs
3. vs RCB (2011)- won by 58 runs
4. vs KKR (2012)- lost by 5 wickets 
5. vs MI (2013)- lost by 23 runs
6. vs MI (2015)- lost by 41 runs
7. vs SRH (2018)- won by 8 wickets 
8. vs MI (2019)- lost by 1 run
9. vs KKR (2021)- won by 27 runs 
10. vs GT (2023)- won by 5 wickets 

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MI second in line | 6 finals

Mumbai Indians stand second with 6 final appearances in IPL and have won 5 out of them. They equalise the IPL title count as CSK but fall short in the number to be the team with the most final appearances in IPL history.

MI's 6 IPL Finals:

1. vs CSK (2010)- lost by 22 runs
2. vs CSK (2013)- won by 23 runs
3. vs CSK (2015)- won by 41 runs
4. vs RPS (2017)- won by 1 run
5. vs CSK (2019)- won by 1 run
6. vs DC (2020)- won by 5 wickets 

KKR and SRH are climbing the stairs | 4 finals

Following closely are Kolkata Knight Riders, who have reached the IPL final 4 times, and won thrice out of them.

Hyderabad, as a team, has also reached the finals 4 times, just with different franchises. They reached the finals in 2009 for the first time as Deccan Chargers, and later made their way thrice under the name of Sunrisers Hyderabad and won in 2016.

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Other teams with multiple appearances in the IPL Final

The following teams have made their way to the IPL final more than once, hence, deserve a mention.

Gujarat Titans entered IPL 2025 with one of the best bowling line-ups. They had Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma among fast bowlers. And Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar leading the spinners. But while you would have expected Rashid Khan to be the main stars, reality has been different. Rashid endured the worst-ever phase of bowling he’s had in any IPL, and he has been playing in the tournament since 2017. He has gone wicketless in 7 innings out of 18 since IPL 2024. 

So, let's take a look at the stats of 'Rashid Khan in IPL since 2024'.

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What has gone wrong with Rashid?

The Rashid Khan in IPL of 2017 to 2023 was a master at landing the ball where he wanted to. He would find that sweet spot where batters were neither confident coming forward because the ball was not full enough, nor rocking back because it wasn’t short enough. And with Rashid’s speeds, you couldn’t safely just read him off the pitch either.

Moreover, it was extremely difficult to pick his variations. The googly caught many a batter plumb or bowled, because when he delivered it the difference in action was miniscule compared to his leg-break. His changes of pace, sliders and top-spinners were equally subtle. There was a fizz to his bowling.

But of late, that control has been lacking. The master of length has been bowling too short, too full, and straying in line too. What could be the reason?

Rashid had back surgery in late 2023, and that could well be a contributing factor. Since his comeback from that surgery, he has been a diminished version of what he was at his peak. The numbers show that clearly.

Rashid Khan in IPL since 2024

There is a clear contrast between the 2025 numbers and those of previous years. IPL 2024 was the first time Rashid was a bit below average, although in the most batting-dominated season of all time, his numbers were still quite okay. But in 2025 that decline was steeper.

Rashid Khan in IPL over the years

From his first year in 2017, Rashid was a phenomenon. He was extremely difficult to score off, and despite opponents playing him defensively and trying to just get through his overs without damage, he was picking up regular wickets too.

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We expect Rashid to be back soon

Rashid still remains a key part of the Gujarat Titans. His experience and nous can’t be discounted, and he adds value with his batting too. As he showed against Royals, he can be handy with his bowling still. What has helped Titans is how Kishore has seamlessly stepped up, while Siraj and Prasidh are on track to have their best IPL seasons. That has allowed the team to not be too hindered by Rashid’s drop off. And they expect him to be back to his best soon too.

Whether this game marks the start of better fortunes for Rashid or not remains to be seen. But it did show that he can’t be discounted yet.

India’s most-watched sports tournament, the Indian Premier League (IPL), has returned with its latest edition, IPL 2025. The new season is following the footsteps of its previous editions with almost every match turning out to be a nail biting one. However, despite the tournament's history of being batting-dominant, many players over the years have proved why people say that batters win you matches, but bowlers win you tournaments.

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It is a common sight in the IPL that teams with better bowlers often end up securing a podium finish. So, let's take a look at most wickets among spinner in IPL since 2023.

Most Wickets Among Spinner | Since 2023

5. Piyush Chawla | 35 Wickets

Piyush Chawla has been playing in the IPL since the inaugural edition. He has represented four teams in the IPL. Chawla took 35 wickets since 2023 season. 

Overall in 192 matches, Chawla owns a total of 192 wickets at 26.60. His economy rate is 7.96. The right-arm spinner has two four-wicket hauls. Chawla had a remarkable IPL 2023 season for MI.

4. Noor Ahmad | 35 Wickets

Noor Ahmad started his IPL career with Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022. He did not feature in a single game during the season. Later on, he played 13 and 10 games respectively in the IPL 2023 and 2024 season. In the IPL 2025, Chennai Super Kings signed him for INR 10 crores.

Noor Ahmad has taken 35 wickets since 2023 with an average of 23.11 and a strike rate of 17.14. His economy in the IPL is 8.09 with the best figures of 4/18. His best figures came against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 in Chennai.

Noor also took 16 wickets in the IPL 2023, contributing his team; Gujarat Titans to reach the final of the season. He was also a part of the GT squad that played in the final of the IPL 2022.

3. Yuzvendra Chahal | 40 Wickets

Yuzvendra Chahal comes third in the list of most wickets among spinner in IPL since 2023 with 40 wickets. He has represented multiple franchises in the IPL. His journey in the IPL has seen him don the jerseys of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Chahal is also the leading wicket-taker in IPL history. He has been a match-winner with his exceptional leg-spin. Since his debut in 2013, he has consistently troubled batters with his variations and accuracy. Chahal has taken 206 wickets in 164 matches at an economy of 7.88, with a best bowling performance of 5/40.

2. Rashid Khan | 40 Wickets

Rashid Khan has been the standout bowler for Gujarat Titans since their inception. The Afghan leg-spinner, known for his pinpoint accuracy and ability to bowl economical spells, has consistently delivered for the team. Rashid also took 40 IPL wickets since 2023 season.

Overall Rashid has taken 152 wickets in 126 matches. Known for his variations, Rashid has been a consistent performer for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans. He’s one of the most economical bowlers in IPL history boasting an economy of 6.94.

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1. Varun Chakravarthy | 47 Wickets

Varun Chakravarthy has taken the most wickets among spinner in IPL since 2023. He was initially picked by Kings XI Punjab in 2019 for a whopping INR 8.40 crore. KKR bought Chakravarthy for Rs. 4 crore at the 2020 IPL auction. He has since been a vital part of the team's bowling attack. 

The mystery spinner has raced to 47 wickets since 2023. Chakravarthy has been a key spinner for KKR throughout his career, taking 89 wickets in 76 matches. His best bowling figures are 5/20. With an average of 23.90, and an economy of 7.50, he remains a reliable bowler. Notably, he has one four-wicket haul and one five-wicket haul.