The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to mark its 20th edition in 2027, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced plans for celebrations on a grand scale.
The decision was taken at the BCCI’s 95th Annual General Meeting, held at the board’s headquarters in Mumbai on Friday, September 18.
The General Body unanimously decided to organise special programmes to commemorate 20 seasons of the IPL, which began in 2008 and has since become a major part of the international cricket calendar.
Arun Dhumal, Khairul Jamal Majumdar Re-Elected
The BCCI also re-elected two representatives to the IPL Governing Council — Arun Singh Dhumal and M Khairul Jamal Majumdar.
Dhumal, a former treasurer of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, has served as chairman of the IPL Governing Council since 2022. Majumdar represents the Cricket Association of Mizoram and has been a member of the council representing state associations.
Both administrators were inducted unopposed and will continue overseeing the league’s operations.
How The IPL Began In 2008
The IPL’s first match was played on April 18, 2008, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Brendon McCullum provided a memorable start to the tournament, smashing an unbeaten 158 off 73 balls for KKR. His innings included 10 fours and 13 sixes and became one of the defining moments of the inaugural IPL season.
Since then, the league has expanded significantly in terms of teams, viewership, commercial value and global reach.
IPL Trophy And Team History
A total of 19 IPL editions have been completed since 2008. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have won the most titles, with five championships each.
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have also led their respective teams to five IPL titles each, making them the most successful captains in the tournament’s history.
Kolkata Knight Riders have won three titles, while Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers and Gujarat Titans have also lifted the trophy.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, are the defending champions after winning consecutive titles in 2025 and 2026, according to the report.
The tournament began with eight teams in 2008 and expanded to 10 teams in 2022 following the addition of Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. The current format features 74 matches in a season.
IPL’s Media Rights Value Soars
The IPL has also witnessed a major rise in commercial value since its launch.
The league’s initial 10-year television rights deal in 2008 was valued at around $1 billion. In 2022, the BCCI sold the media rights for the 2023-2027 cycle for Rs 48,390 crore, or around $6.2 billion at the time.
The deal placed the IPL among the world’s most valuable sports properties in terms of per-match media rights value.
With the tournament preparing to complete two decades in 2027, the BCCI’s planned celebrations will mark another milestone in the IPL’s history.
