IMAGE: Mumbai Indians celebrate defeating Chennai Super Kings in the 2019 final to lift their fourth IPL title. Photograph: BCCI

When it comes to close finishes for the title one of the first matches that come to mind is the 2019 final between the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

On the night of May 12, 2019, at the Rajiv Gandhi international cricket stadium in Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians put on 148 for 8 in their 20 overs.

In what was a testament of MI's bowling strength with the likes of Lasith Malinga leading the attack and Jasprit Bumrah bowling some unplayable deliveries, CSK were not going to have it easy.

Shane Watson rode his luck as MI fielders put him down on three occasions. But his 59 ball 80 was not enough.

Needing 9 off the last over, Malinga did well to defend the score. Watson ran himself out after a mix-up with Shardul Thakur off the fourth ball of the over.

With CSK needing four off the last two deliveries, Thakur collected two off the fifth ball but Malinga then trapped him lbw with the final delivery of the match as CSK fell short by 1 run and MI grabbed their fourth IPL title!

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, 2023

IMAGE: Rinku Singh smashed 5 sixes in a row to take Kolkata Knight Riders to a miraculous win over the Gujarat Titans. Photograph: BCCI

Talk of epic chases in the IPL and this has to rank among the top.

It was the match that brought 'Rinku Singh, the finisher' to the fore.

Chasing 205 for victory, the match was a thrill-a-minute ride. Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana sent the ball to all corners of the park in their 100-run stand for the third wicket.

After losing four back-to-back wickets, which included a hat-trick from Rashid Khan, Gujarat Titans had KKR on the ropes. A win for Kolkata seemed impossible -- well almost.

Then in the final over KKR needed 29 off six balls. The onus was on Yash Dayal to keep KKR at bay but Rinku had other ideas.

After Umesh Yadav took a single off the first delivery, Rinku hammered five sixes in succession -- from 29 needed off 6, Rinku brought it down to four off 1 and finished it off with a six -- to take Kolkata to a victory for the ages.

Dayal (0 for 69 off 4 overs) had a night to forget as that match saw the most runs being scored ever in the last over of an IPL match.

Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2009

IMAGE: Deccan Chargers' players celebrate winning the 2009 IPL final. Photograph: BCCI

Among those that stand out in memory are the 2009 IPL final between the Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 24, 2009, which the Adam Gilchrist-led Deccan Chargers won by 6 runs.

RCB Captain Anil Kumble put DC in to bat and powered by a half-century by Herschelle Gibbs, DC made 143 for 8 in 20 overs.

Chasing a modest 144 to win, Bangalore were on course and needed just 15 runs in the last over. But left-arm seamer R P Singh bowled his heart out to deny RCB, conceding just 8 runs to take his team to victory.

Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2011

In a high-stakes match for a top-2 spot, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, James Franklin struck a blistering 23-ball unbeaten 45 to help Mumbai Indians pull off a sensational five wicket win.

With Mumbai needing 21 off the last over, pacer Laxmipathy Balaji was smacked for four boundaries and a six, and conceded 23 runs, to hand Mumbai Indians a last-ball win.

It was Franklin who started the onslaught in the last over, spanking Balaji for four consecutive boundaries, to reduce the equation to four off the last delivery.

Ambati Rayudu (17 not out off 6 balls) then put the match to bed, clobbering Balaji over the square-leg fence to help MI pull off a dramatic chase.

Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, 2010

IMAGE: Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Albie Morkel celebrate. Photograph: IPL/Getty Images/Rediff Archives

This was one of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's earlier avatars as The Finisher. Put in to bat, Punjab put on a massive 192 for 3 in their 20 overs.

Chasing a mammoth 193 to win and seal a semi-final spot, Chennai were off to the worst possible start, reduced to 27 for 2. Suresh Raina and S Badrinath pulled things back in the middle overs. But it was left to Dhoni (unbeaten 54 from 29 balls) to put the finishing touches.

With 29 needed off 2 overs, Dhoni hit Juan Theron for a couple of boundaries in the 19th over before he was dropped by Kumar Sangakkara on 32.

With 16 needed from the final over, Dhoni, cool as ice, started that over by hitting a full delivery from Irfan Pathan down the ground for a boundary before ending the match in some style with back-to-back sixes over midwicket to seal the game with two deliveries to spare and power CSK into the semi-finals.

Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans, 2024

IMAGE: Shashank Singh scored an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls to pull off a thriller against the Gujarat Titans. Photograph: BCCI

Shashank Singh turned a lost cause into a stunning heist, powering Punjab Kings to a memorable chase of 200 against Gujarat Titans with a blazing unbeaten half-century.

Walking in with Punjab reeling at 71/4 in the ninth over and a daunting 89 needed off the last seven overs, Shashank flipped the script with remarkable composure. He hammered an unbeaten 61 off just 29 balls, peppering the boundary with six fours and four towering sixes to take his side home.

Shashank survived a close leg-before review off Noor Ahmad early in his innings, but he made most of the life and responded in style, launching the very next delivery over long-off to signal his intent.

He brought up his maiden IPL half-century in just 25 balls in the 18th over, taking apart Azmatullah Omarzai for 16 runs with fearless strokeplay.

With 13 needed from seven balls, Shashank smashed Mohit Sharma for a six. He then got a boundary off the leading edge in the final over bowled by Darshan Nalkande as Punjab chased down 200 with one ball to spare.

Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant, 2017

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah celebrates Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket in the 2017 IPL final. Photograph: BCCI

Mumbai Indians won their third IPL title in a dramatic 2017 final, defeating Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run!

Defending a paltry 130 after being stopped at 129/8, MI restricted RPS to 128/6, thanks to tight bowling from Mitchell Johnson and Jasprit Bumrah.

Johnson kept his nerve during the final over where RPS needed 11 runs. Manoj Tiwary smacked the first ball to the mid-wicket boundary bringing the equation down to 7 from 5 balls.

However, Johson picked two wickets off the next two balls with both Tiwary and Skipper Steve Smith (51) caught in the deep.

With four required off the final delivery for victory, Dan Christian went for an impossible third run only to be run out as Mumbai clinched their third IPL title.

Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2019

IMAGE: RCB Captain Virat Kohli celebrates winning the match against CSK after Parthiv Patel runs out Shardul Thakur off the final ball of the innings. Photograph: BCCI

Mahendra Singh Dhoni nearly pulled off a heist but Parthiv Patel's last ball run out helped Royal Challengers Bangalore edge past Chennai Super Kings by one run off the last ball in a thrilling finish.

Chasing 162, CSK needed 26 off the last over bowled by Umesh Yadav.

CSK Captain Dhoni (unbeaten 84 off 48 balls; 7x6), took CSK to the brink as he hit 24 from the first five balls of the final over, hitting three sixes and a four.

With 2 needed from the last ball for victory Dhoni was beaten by the slower delivery, failing to get bat on ball, he tried to sneak a quick bye that would have levelled scores and taken the match to the Super Over but Parthiv was quick to collect the ball and break the stumps with a direct hit as non-striker Shardul Thakur was run out to give RCB a thrilling one-run win.

Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2022

IMAGE: Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan celebrate helping Gujarat Titans steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Photograph: BCCI

Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia's stunning partnership helped the Gujarat Titans snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

SRH pacer Umran Malik left GT reeling at 140 for 5 in 16 overs. Chasing 196 for victory, GT looked down and out but Tewatia and Rashid believed and how!

With Gujarat needing 35 from the last two overs, SRH had the game in the pocket or so it seemed.

Tewatia made a good start to the 19th over when he lofted T Natarajan's first ball over mid-off for a four and swung the fifth for a six over midwicket and the bowler conceded 13 runs.

Marco Jansen was tasked with the responsibility of defending 22 runs in final over. His short bouncer was slogged by Tewatia over mid-wicket for a six, first ball of the over.

Tewatia then took a single before Rashid lofted the third ball straight down the ground for a six. A dot later, he dispatched the full toss over long off for another maximum.

With three needed off the final delivery, Rashid pulled the short ball over fine leg for the fourth six of the over, guiding Gujarat to a famous five wicket off the last ball of the match.

Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2012

Albie Morkel produced one of the most explosive finishes in IPL history, turning the game on its head as Chennai Super Kings pulled off a stunning five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore off the final ball of the match.

Chasing a daunting 206, CSK looked out of it before Morkel unleashed absolute carnage in the penultimate over. He smashed three sixes and two fours to plunder 28 runs, suddenly bringing the equation down to 15 off the final over.

The game had flipped in a matter of six balls.

Morkel fell early in the last over, dismissed by Vinay Kumar. But Dwayne Bravo kept his nerve, chipping in with a crucial 25 to keep CSK in the hunt.

With two needed off the final delivery, Ravindra Jadeja got a faint edge that raced away to the boundary, sealing a breath-taking win and completing what was then the second-highest run chase in IPL history.