Some trophies are won by teams. But some finals are won by one person.
That one knock. One spell. That one moment where the crowd goes silent — and then erupts.
The IPL final has always been a stage where pressure turns ordinary moments into unforgettable cricketing memories, and every season, one player rises above the rest by delivering a performance that changes the match.
Let’s take a walk through all 18 IPL finals and the players who made them iconic.
🏆 2008 — Yusuf Pathan Starts It All
The very first IPL final. Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings. Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural season under the captaincy of Australian legend Shane Warne — and Yusuf Pathan delivered a brutal all-round performance to earn the very first POTM in an IPL final. A legend was born.
🏆 2009 — Anil Kumble’s Final Bow
The seasoned veteran. Played in South Africa. The 2009 IPL was played in South Africa due to general elections. Deccan Chargers stunned Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Anil Kumble — a man of class and craft — played his part in a moment nobody expected.
🏆 2010 & 2011 — CSK’s Back-to-Back Dynasty
Suresh Raina in 2010. Murali Vijay in 2011. Chennai Super Kings, back-to-back champions. Chennai Super Kings were the first team to win back-to-back IPL titles, achieving the feat in 2010 and 2011. Raina’s explosive batting and Vijay’s composed knock were the heartbeats of two successive triumphs.
🏆 2012 — Manvinder Bisla’s Fairytale Night
Nobody saw this coming. Kolkata Knight Riders vs CSK. Manvinder Bisla — a relatively unknown wicket-keeper batter — walked in and smashed a stunning half-century. It was one of the biggest upsets and most talked-about individual performances in final history. Cricket is beautiful like that.
🏆 2013 — Pollard’s Power Show
Kieron Pollard. Big man. Big moment. Mumbai Indians vs CSK. The Caribbean giant delivered exactly what was needed — muscle, nerve, and sheer brilliance. A POTM performance that had the entire Wankhede roaring.
🏆 2014 — Manish Pandey’s Masterpiece
A young man from Karnataka walked into the IPL final and played an innings that launched his career. KKR vs Kings XI Punjab. Manish Pandey’s composed and classy knock under enormous pressure earned him the POTM honour. The 2014 IPL final was the epitome of fearless cricket.
🏆 2015 — Rohit Sharma, The Boss
It doesn’t get more fitting. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings. The captain steps up and wins the Player of the Match award in the final. That’s not just cricket — that’s leadership. Rohit Sharma reminded everyone why he is one of the greatest to ever play this format.
🏆 2016 — Ben Cutting’s Six-Hitting Spectacle
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore. Ben Cutting, the Australian all-rounder, walked in at the death and played an innings that left RCB fans — and the rest of the cricket world — absolutely speechless. Pure entertainment.
🏆 2017 — Krunal Pandya Part One
Ah, this one. Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant. Krunal Pandya’s 47 runs off 38 balls helped MI beat Rising Pune Supergiants by just 1 run in a nail-biting finish in Hyderabad. Steve Smith’s 50 anchored the chase, but Mitchell Johnson struck twice in the final over to leave Pune one run short — and Krunal Pandya’s 47 from 38 balls for Mumbai earned him the Player of the Match award. One of the greatest finals ever played.
🏆 2018 — Shane Watson’s Warrior Innings
CSK vs Sunrisers Hyderabad. Shane Watson walked out to bat with CSK struggling. Then he batched his broken shin and just… kept going. A bloodied, bruised century that will live forever in IPL history. Player of the Match? Absolutely no debate.
🏆 2019 — Bumrah’s Death-Over Brilliance
Mumbai posted 149 for 8, Chennai needed two off the final ball, and Lasith Malinga had Shardul Thakur lbw to seal the win — it remains the only IPL final settled by a one-run margin in a chase that went the full distance. But Jasprit Bumrah’s stranglehold through his overs made that thriller possible. Pure pressure bowling. Pure class.
🏆 2020 — Trent Boult’s Firepower in Dubai
COVID moved the IPL to the UAE. Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals. Trent Boult was unplayable in the powerplay, generating swing, speed, and damage early on. Mumbai won their fifth title, and Boult’s POTM performance was a massive reason why.
🏆 2021 — Faf du Plessis Fights Hard
CSK vs KKR. A final few expected Chennai to dominate. But Faf du Plessis produced a stunning batting display — calm, classy, and absolutely match-defining. One of the cleanest innings you’ll ever see in a pressure-cooker final.
🏆 2022 — Hardik Pandya’s Triple Threat
Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals. Brand new team. Brand new captain. Hardik took 3 for 17, dismissed Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer, and added 34 from 30 balls. Hardik was named Player of the Match and helped Gujarat lift the trophy in front of 104,859 spectators in Ahmedabad. What a debut for a franchise. What a performance.
🏆 2023 — Devon Conway’s Calm in the Storm
CSK vs GT. The big stage can swallow players whole. Devon Conway didn’t flinch. A cool, composed, match-winning knock against Gujarat Titans sealed another title for MS Dhoni’s men — and earned Conway his well-deserved IPL final POTM award.
🏆 2024 — Mitchell Starc’s Spell of Spells
KKR vs Sunrisers Hyderabad. KKR bowled out Sunrisers Hyderabad for 113 — the lowest total in any IPL final — and chased the target in 10.3 overs. Mitchell Starc was absolutely devastating. A performance that silenced critics and reminded the world why he’s one of the most dangerous fast bowlers alive.
🏆 2025 — Krunal Pandya Makes History (Again)
This is where the story gets legendary.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2025 final by 6 runs against Punjab Kings on 3 June 2025 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad — it was RCB’s maiden IPL title in their 18th season, ending the longest title drought in IPL history.
Krunal turned things around with his smart bowling, taking 2 wickets for just 17 runs in his 4 overs — and because of this match-winning effort, he was named Player of the Match.
But here’s the jaw-dropping part. Krunal’s spell made him the only player ever to win Player of the Match in two IPL finals, after the 2017 award for Mumbai.
Two different teams. Two different decades. One extraordinary man.
The Bigger Picture
The Player of the Match in the IPL final represents more than just an award — these performances define legacies, inspire fans and often become the turning point in a franchise’s journey.
From Yusuf Pathan’s raw power in 2008 to Krunal Pandya’s composed mastery in 2025, each name in this list reflects commitment, courage and outstanding skill on cricket’s biggest T20 stage.
IPL 2025 saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally break their 18-year long-standing jinx — and Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings remain the most successful teams in IPL history, with five titles each.
But titles are won by teams. Finals are won by moments. And moments are made by people.
These 18 players? They are those people. Forever.
Who was your favourite IPL final POTM performance of all time? Drop it in the comments below! 👇🏏