Indian Premier League Teams Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kings XI

The Kings XI Punjab, based in Mohali, were one of the first eight teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In February of 2021 they changed their name to Punjab Kings, but remained the same franchise, and kept their red uniforms. They played in the semi-finals in the competition's inaugural year, and had another successful year in 2014, finishing the season on top of the table, and finishing runners-up in the finals.

Mohali, officially known as Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, is a planned city in the Mohali district, near Chandigarh. It was named after the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and final human Sikh guru. While in the city, you can visit the Gurudwara Amb Sahib, a Sikh shrine commemorating the visit to Mohali of Guru Har Rai, the seventh guru.

Answer: Daredevils

The Delhi Daredevils (renamed the Capitals in 2019) are based in the national capital, New Delhi. They made the playoffs (finishing in the top four at the end of the season) in the first year, the first of six times they achieved this in the IPL's initial 12 years; their best finish was as runners-up in 2020.

The municipality of New Delhi, located in the National Capital Territory, is part of the megacity of Delhi. Designed by British architects, its foundation stone was laid in 1911 by George V, and it was inaugurated as the new capital in 1931. As well as being the national capital, it is the largest commercial centre in northern India.

Answer: Royals

The Rajasthan Royals, captained by Australian Shane Warne, won the inaugural competition of the IPL in 2008. A few years later they were one of the two teams banned because of involvement in match-fixing, so did not compete in the 2016 and 2017 competitions. They had a reputation for signing on relatively unknown players (whose contracts are therefore relatively cheap) and giving them a platform to launch their careers.

Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, India's largest state. Nicknamed 'The Pink City' because of the abundance of red and pink sandstone used in its buildings, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, and is a major tourist site. Jaipur is the location of one of the four collections of stone-built astronomical instruments known as a Jantar Mantar; this one, built in 1734, was added to the World Heritage Site list in 2010. The nearby Amer Fort was added in 2013.

Answer: Lions

The Gujarat Lions were one of the two teams added temporarily to the IPL for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, replacing the suspended teams from Chennai and Jaipur. They were successful in their first season, topping the ladder in the season, and finishing third in the playoffs. The second season was much less successful, and the IPL did not renew their contract when the two banned teams returned.

Rajkot is the fourth-largest city in the west coast state of Gujarat, with a 2021 population of slightly over 2 million. Mahatma Ghandi spent some years of his childhood in Rajkot, graduating from the Alfred High School at 18. Following Indian independence in 1947, it was renamed the Mohandas Gandhi High School. when the school closed in 2017, plans were announced to develop the site as a Gandhi Museum.

Answer: Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders may have one of the most glamorous ownerships in the IPL, with Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan and former Miss India and Hindi actress Juhi Chawla in charge. They may play their home games in Eden Gardens, a cricketing icon. But it's on the playing field that cricket success really happens, and this popular team has made it happen ,with championships in 2012 and 2014. They set a record in 20 for the longest winning streak - 14 wins on the trot.

Kolkata (previously Calcutta) is the capital of the state of West Bengal, in the northeast part of India. (It is West Bengal because what was once East Bengal became the country of Bangladesh.) From 1793, when the British East India Company took control of the region, until 1911 Calcutta was the capital of the British Raj. Unlike most Indian cities, the most popular sport in Kolkata is actually association football (soccer), and it houses the headquarters of the Indian Football Association.

Answer: Supergiant

The Rising Pune Supergiant team was one of the replacement teams, in 2016 and 2017, for the suspended Super Kings and Royals. They were the second team from Pune - the Pune Warriors India had been part of the IPL from 2011 through 2013, finishing 9th, 9th and 8th before leaving the competition. RPS team were fairly successful in their two years, finishing with a 1-run loss in the final to be runners up to Mumbai in 2017.

Pune, then known as Poona, was the place where the rules of badminton were first drawn up by British residents, and the game was sometimes referred to as Poona. When the game was brought home to England, it was renamed after the Gloucestershire country house of the Duke of Beaufort.

Answer: Indians

The Mumbai Indians have been one of the IPL's most successful teams. Their 2017 victory over Pune made them the first team to have three titles, and that season also saw them become the first team to have 100 T20 wins. This followed a rather rocky first season: captain Sachin Tendulkar was injured and missed most of the season; replacement captain Harbhajan Singh was suspended (after leading the team to three losses in a row) for allegedly slapping an opponent; there were some good wins under the captaincy of Shaun Pollock, who held the for until Tendulkar could return, but ultimately they missed the playoffs by one point.

Built on seven islands, Mumbai is the second-largest city in India (after Delhi), with a population of roughly 20 million in 2020. It is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India - home to the Hindi film industry (Bollywood) as well as the Marathi cinema. It is also the location for three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Elephanta Caves (temples to Shiva on the island of Elephanta), the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (a train station formerly known as Victoria Terminus) and the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco located in the Fort precinct of the city.

Answer: Chargers

The Deccan Chargers were one of the eight founding teams of the IPL in 2008, named after the franchise holder (Deccan Chronicle Holdings) rather than their city or state. They came last in the first season, but won the second season. In 2012 the franchise was terminated for breach of contract (although this was later ruled illegal, and significant compensation awarded), and the Hyderabad franchise was granted to a new team, the Sunrisers, who started competing in 2013.

Situated on the Deccan Plateau, Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the state of Telangana. The main trading centre in India for pearls, it is the only trading centre in the world for Golconda diamonds. The region has been occupied since the Stone Age, and was at the centre of several dynasties, whose influence can be seen in the city's architecture, including the famous Chaminar and the Chowmahalla Palace.

Answer: Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings, one of the founding teams of the IPL, were one of the two teams suspended in 2016 and 2017 because of match fixing issues. They won the title in 2018, a successful return and their third championship.

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, the most southeasterly state of the country. Its location on the Bay of Bengal has made it an important military and economic centre for centuries. It is the base for Tamil-language cinema (nicknamed Kollywood), along with Tamil live-stage theatre.

Answer: Royal Challengers

Royal Challengers Bangalore are one of the original eight teams in the IPL, named after a brand of liquor produced by the teams owners, United Spirits. The team's performance has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for their fans over the first fourteen years of the IPL, with three second places, two thirds, two fourths, and seven years failing to make the playoffs. Their fans have remained dedicated, with a coordinated chant and Mexican wave featuring at most home games.

Located on the southern part of the Deccan Plateau, Bengaluru's elevation gives it a much cooler and more comfortable climate than many major Indian cities. It is often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of India" because it is the centre of the IT industry. It is also home to the Kannada language film industry, nicknamed Sandalwood.