176 All Square, and Then It Got Stranger
In 1,169 IPL matches played between 2008 and 2025, exactly 15 have gone to a super over. Only one has ever gone to two. On October 18, 2020, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Dubai — a ground that wasn't even supposed to host IPL cricket until a pandemic rearranged the world — Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab delivered a match so improbable that it required six separate innings to find a winner. The final margin? Not runs. Not wickets. A single super over, decided after the first one ended in a dead heat.
This is the story of IPL Match 36 of the 2020 season — the match that broke cricket's tiebreaker.
The Setup: Two Teams on Opposite Trajectories
Mumbai Indians arrived in Dubai as defending champions, the most decorated franchise in IPL history with four titles. Their 2020 campaign had been characteristically efficient: after a shaky opening loss to Chennai Super Kings, Rohit Sharma's side had won four of their next five matches. The machine was humming.
Kings XI Punjab were in crisis. KL Rahul's side had won just one of their first seven matches, languishing at the bottom of the points table. Their campaign had been defined by heartbreak — they'd already lost one super over that season (to Delhi Capitals on September 20) and had suffered multiple collapses in chase situations. Another loss here, and their playoff hopes would be mathematically eliminated.
The stakes were asymmetric: routine for MI, existential for KXIP. That asymmetry would matter.
First Innings: MI Post 176/6
The Rohit-de Kock Foundation
Mumbai won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that seemed unremarkable at the time. Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma put on a brisk opening stand, but it was the middle overs that defined MI's innings. Kieron Pollard smashed 34 off 12 balls late in the innings, lifting Mumbai from a modest 130-odd after 16 overs to a competitive 176/6.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | SR | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q de Kock | 53 | 43 | 123.3 | 4 | 3 |
| RG Sharma | 9 | 8 | 112.5 | 2 | 0 |
| SA Yadav | 33 | 27 | 122.2 | 2 | 2 |
| KA Pollard | 34 | 12 | 283.3 | 3 | 3 |
| HH Pandya | 14 | 10 | 140.0 | 2 | 0 |
176 was a par score in Dubai's evening conditions — not imposing, not vulnerable. A total that said: beat us if you can.
KXIP's Bowling Effort
Mohammed Shami was the standout with figures of 2/30 in his four overs, including the crucial wicket of Rohit Sharma in the powerplay. Ravi Bishnoi, the young leg-spinner, also impressed with 1/26 from his four. But Pollard's assault in the death overs — 34 runs from his final 12 deliveries — ensured KXIP's bowlers couldn't contain the damage.
Second Innings: KXIP Chase — The Rollercoaster
KL Rahul's Anchor
KL Rahul walked out knowing his team needed him more than ever. His captain's knock of 77 off 51 balls was the backbone of KXIP's chase. But this was no serene innings — it was punctuated by moments of panic, missed run-outs, and a middle-order wobble that briefly made 177 look like 277.
At 100/4 after 14 overs, KXIP were staring at another loss. They needed 77 from 36 balls with only six wickets in hand. The required rate had climbed past 12 an over.
The Final Over Drama
Chris Jordan, batting at number seven, smashed an unbeaten cameo in the final over bowled by Trent Boult. KXIP needed 6 off the last ball to tie. The chaos of those final deliveries — with fielders scrambling, batsmen running, and the third umpire checking boundaries — encapsulated everything this match would become. KXIP finished on 176/6 in 20 overs. Scores level. Super over.
Super Over 1: The Impossible Tie
In the 14 previous IPL super overs, not a single one had ended in a tie. The format is designed to produce a result: six balls each, highest score wins. The probability of a tied super over in any given match is estimated at roughly 2-3%. The probability of reaching a super over AND tying it? Astronomically small.
KXIP Bat First
KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran walked out to face Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah, the best death bowler in IPL history, delivered a masterclass of precision yorkers:
| Ball | Batter | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | KL Rahul | 1 run (single to mid-on) |
| 2 | N Pooran | Dot ball (yorker, defended) |
| 3 | N Pooran | Dot ball (slower ball, missed) |
| 4 | KL Rahul | WICKET (caught trying to scoop) |
| 5 | C Jordan | 2 runs (pushed to deep) |
| 6 | C Jordan | 2 runs (scrambled overthrow) |
KXIP scored 5/2 from their super over. Five runs. In six balls against Bumrah, that was almost par — but in a super over context, it looked like a losing total. Mumbai needed just 6 to win.
MI's Reply
Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock faced Mohammed Shami. This should have been straightforward. Six runs from six balls against a bowler who had already conceded 30 in four overs.
But Shami produced the over of his life:
| Ball | Batter | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG Sharma | 1 run (worked to leg) |
| 2 | Q de Kock | Dot ball (yorker, defended) |
| 3 | Q de Kock | 2 runs (edged past keeper) |
| 4 | Q de Kock | WICKET (caught at mid-off!) |
| 5 | KA Pollard | 1 run (single to cover) |
| 6 | RG Sharma | Dot ball |
MI scored 5/1 from their super over. Five runs. The same score as KXIP, with one fewer wicket lost.
But the super over is decided by runs only — wickets don't count as a tiebreaker. 5/2 equals 5/1 in super over rules. Dead level. Again.
The stadium — empty due to COVID protocols, but with millions watching on screens across India — fell into disbelief. The commentators ran out of superlatives. Both dugouts looked shell-shocked. Nobody had prepared for this scenario because nobody believed it was possible.
Super Over 2: Resolution at Last
The Rule Change That Made This Possible
Before 2019, IPL's playing conditions dictated that if a super over was tied, the match result would be determined by boundary count. This rule had been globally criticized after the 2019 Cricket World Cup final, where New Zealand lost to England on boundary count after a tied super over. The ICC and BCCI subsequently changed the rule: tied super overs now lead to another super over.
Without that 2019 rule change, MI would have won this match on boundaries (they hit more fours and sixes in regulation). Instead, we got another six balls each.
MI Bat: 11/1
This time, Kieron Pollard joined Rohit Sharma to face Shami again. The West Indian smashed a six off the second ball, bringing the viewers roaring back. MI posted 11/1 — a far more defensible total than their first super over effort.
KXIP Chase: Mayank Agarwal's Fury
KXIP sent in Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle. Gayle, the Universe Boss, was 40 years old and playing in what would be his penultimate IPL season. Boult bowled the first ball wide. Then Agarwal launched into Boult with two sixes and a four — 15 runs off 4 legal deliveries. KXIP won.
The final scorecard of Super Over 2:
| Phase | MI | KXIP |
|---|---|---|
| Super Over 2 | 11/1 (6 balls) | 15/0 (4 balls) |
KXIP won the match. After 46 overs and 6 balls of cricket — the equivalent of almost 2.5 full T20 matches — one team finally emerged victorious.
The Numbers That Define This Match
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Total innings played | 6 (2 regulation + 4 super over innings) |
| Balls bowled (total) | 264 (240 regulation + 24 super over) |
| Combined runs scored | 388 (352 regulation + 36 in super overs) |
| Number of ties within the match | 2 (regulation + first super over) |
| Probability of double super over | Less than 0.1% (estimated — never happened before or since) |
| Player of the Match | KL Rahul (77 off 51 in regulation) |
| Super overs in IPL before this | 13 (zero had ever tied) |
| Super overs in IPL after this | 2 (neither has tied) |
What This Match Changed
For KXIP: The Great Revival
This win wasn't just a result — it was a psychological reset. KXIP entered this match with 1 win from 7 games, their season effectively over. After the double super over victory, something shifted. They won 5 of their remaining 6 league matches, climbing from last place to within touching distance of the playoffs (they ultimately finished 6th on net run rate).
KL Rahul finished the season as Orange Cap winner with 670 runs at a strike rate of 129.3. The double super over win was the turning point that unlocked his best cricket.
For MI: The Mental Edge
Mumbai Indians lost this match but won the war. They went on to win the 2020 IPL title, beating Delhi Capitals in the final by five wickets. The resilience they showed in pushing two super overs — and the composure Bumrah displayed in conceding only 5 runs in the first one — was characteristic of a champion outfit. Sometimes the losses that don't break you make you stronger.
For the IPL: A Marketing Goldmine
This match became the most replayed, most discussed, and most referenced match of the 2020 season. It generated more social media engagement than the final itself. It validated the IPL's decision to move to the UAE during COVID — proving that even without stadium crowds, the cricket could deliver unforgettable drama.
The Statistical Impossibility
Consider the chain of events required for a double super over:
- Two teams must tie in regulation (occurs in roughly 1.3% of T20 matches)
- They must then tie again in the first super over (roughly 2-3% chance within a super over)
- The combined probability: roughly 0.03-0.04% — once every 2,500-3,300 T20 matches
With 1,169 IPL matches played through 2025, we've had exactly one. The math says we shouldn't expect another for decades. And the circumstances — a bottom-placed team fighting for survival against the defending champions, with Bumrah bowling a super over that produced only 5 runs, and Shami matching him ball for ball — could never be scripted.
CricMind's Oracle prediction engine runs 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations per match. Even within those simulations, a double super over scenario has never once been generated. Some outcomes exist beyond the reach of probability models — they belong to the realm of sporting mythology.
Three Takeaways
- Super overs are not guaranteed to produce results. The double super over exposed a flaw in cricket's tiebreaking assumption — that six balls per side will always separate two teams. The 2019 World Cup boundary count controversy and this match together forced cricket to confront the limits of its own rules.
- Pressure is non-linear. KXIP, the team with nothing to lose, performed better under escalating pressure (winning Super Over 2 in just 4 balls), while MI, the defending champions, tightened up. The relationship between stakes and performance doesn't follow a straight line — sometimes desperation liberates.
- The UAE bubble created unique conditions. Playing in empty stadiums during COVID stripped away home advantage, crowd momentum, and familiar comforts. In that sterile environment, pure cricket skill and mental resilience became the only differentiators. This match was the purest expression of that dynamic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has there ever been a double super over in IPL?
Yes, exactly once. On October 18, 2020, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) tied both the regulation match (176/6 each) and the first super over (5 runs each) before KXIP won the second super over. It remains the only double super over in IPL history through 2025.
Who won the MI vs KXIP double super over match?
Kings XI Punjab won the match. After both teams scored 176/6 in regulation and 5 runs each in the first super over, KXIP chased down MI's 11/1 with 15/0 in the second super over. Mayank Agarwal's two sixes off Trent Boult sealed the victory.
What happens if a super over is tied in IPL?
Since the 2020 season, a tied super over leads to another super over. Before 2019, boundary count was used as the tiebreaker. The rule was changed globally after the controversial 2019 Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand.
Who bowled in the MI vs KXIP double super over?
Jasprit Bumrah bowled for MI in the first super over, conceding just 5/2. Mohammed Shami bowled for KXIP in both super overs — he matched Bumrah's first super over (5/1 conceded) but was attacked in the second. Trent Boult bowled MI's second super over and was hit for 15/0 by Mayank Agarwal.
What was the venue for the 2020 double super over match?
The match was played at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The entire IPL 2020 season was held in the UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with matches split between Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Who was Player of the Match in the double super over?
KL Rahul was named Player of the Match for his innings of 77 off 51 balls in the regulation chase. Rahul also batted in the first super over, scoring 1 run before being dismissed by Bumrah.
How many super overs have happened in IPL history?
Through the 2025 season, 15 IPL matches have gone to super overs. Only one — the MI vs KXIP match on October 18, 2020 — required a second super over. The most recent super over was DC vs RR in 2025, where both teams scored 188 each before Delhi won.