IPL 2016: Sunrisers Hyderabad Champions — Final, Venue & Season Story
Winner: Sunrisers Hyderabad · Runner-up: Royal Challengers Bangalore · Final venue: Bangalore
The IPL 2016 season belongs to Sunrisers Hyderabad, who beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in a final staged in Bangalore. It was a season from the league's consolidation years, as CSK and MI built the IPL's first dynasties — and like every IPL year, it is best understood through its final: the two teams left standing after two months of league cricket, playing one match for the trophy.
The 2016 season added a line to two very different ledgers. Sunrisers Hyderabad's championship was their title number 1 all-time; Royal Challengers Bangalore's defeat left them on 0 title(s), a gap between the franchises that later seasons would either widen or close. That slow arithmetic — one trophy a year, shared among ten teams — is what makes each final heavier than the last.
The final was staged in Bangalore, which had by then hosted 2 IPL final(s) — a reminder that the league's biggest night has its own geography, moving between the great grounds rather than belonging to one city. Players from both squads that year have since scattered across franchises through auctions and trades, but the 2016 final remains the fixed point their careers are measured against.
There is a supporters' footnote to 2016 that tables never capture: the final in Bangalore became one of those nights a fan base organises its memory around. Ask Sunrisers Hyderabad fans of a certain age where they watched it and you will get a story, not a score. That is what a championship actually buys a city.
As of the end of the 2026 season, Royal Challengers Bangalore have not appeared in another IPL final since 2016. In a ten-team league with one trophy a year, that absence is its own statistic — and the first thing their supporters will want changed in 2027.
One year earlier the champions were Mumbai Indians — 2016 moved the crown to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Twelve months later the title moved on to Mumbai Indians, which makes the 2016 win a distinct chapter rather than a streak.
| Season | 2016 |
| Champions | Sunrisers Hyderabad (title #1) |
| Runners-up | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| Final venue (city) | Bangalore |
| Player of the Tournament | Virat Kohli (973 runs) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won IPL 2016?
Sunrisers Hyderabad won IPL 2016, beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final, which was played in Bangalore. It was Sunrisers Hyderabad's title number 1 in IPL history.
Where was the IPL 2016 final played?
The IPL 2016 final was played in Bangalore — that city's final number 2 in the league's history. Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore there to lift the trophy.
How many finals had Sunrisers Hyderabad played by IPL 2016?
By the end of IPL 2016, Sunrisers Hyderabad had appeared in 1 IPL final(s) and won 1 of them. Royal Challengers Bangalore had appeared in 3 final(s) by that point.
Who was the Player of the Tournament in IPL 2016?
Virat Kohli was named Player of the Tournament in IPL 2016, the season of his record 973 runs.