Who is the best bowler in IPL history?
Jasprit Bumrah outranks all as the best bowler in IPL history for his defining match-winning ability and holding the nerves in clutch moments.
After bowling the hardest overs for majority of his career, Bumrah concedes 1.2 runs below team per over which is the best relative economy for any pacer.
He has also picked 72 wickets in trophy winning seasons - the most ever in IPL followed by Lasith Malinga who has 71 to his name.
How we ranked the best IPL bowlers
We will be focusing on 4 major metrics in this analysis: Economy and Average have been taken with respect to team/conditions to normalize the run inflation in recent seasons.
- Relative Economy (50% weightage)
- Relative Average (30% weightage)
- Dots bowled (10% weightage)
- Wickets in Playoffs (10% weightage)
All the above 4 metrics will have to be dialled down into a 0-100 score to incorporate the weighting:
- Eco Factor: E = (Team Economy/Bowler Economy) x 100
- Avg Factor: A = (Team Average/Bowler Average) x 100
- Dot Factor: D = (Dots/Balls) x 100
- Clutch Factor: C = (Playoff wickets/Max) x 100
After including the weightings:
- Final Score = 0.5E + 0.3A + 0.1D + 0.1C
All the bowlers with a minimum 100 wickets were considered in this analysis.
Top 10 best bowlers in IPL history
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Eco Factor | Avg Factor | Dot Factor | Clutch Factor | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 187 | 116.66 | 118 | 42.1 | 42.9 | 102.2 |
| Sunil Narine | 200 | 207 | 123.9 | 106 | 39.9 | 42.9 | 102 |
| Lasith Malinga | 122 | 170 | 109.48 | 123.1 | 43.1 | 50 | 101 |
| Rashid Khan | 153 | 179 | 117.57 | 108.6 | 37.3 | 50 | 100.1 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 184 | 233 | 108.56 | 121.5 | 34.1 | 46.4 | 98.8 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 206 | 226 | 110.57 | 109.3 | 43.6 | 57.1 | 98.1 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 94 | 111 | 113.09 | 108.4 | 37.6 | 17.9 | 94.6 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 160 | 150 | 112.09 | 94.9 | 38.4 | 60.7 | 94.4 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 101 | 148 | 99.74 | 118.7 | 41.4 | 42.9 | 93.9 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 217 | 187 | 114.37 | 85.5 | 35.3 | 75 | 93.9 |
1. Jasprit Bumrah
- 187 wickets in 158 innings
- Average 23.7
- Economy 7.3
Bumrah, like in any other format, has often made IPL match predicitons easy, dominated the bowling arena at par level with veterans like Narine & Malinga even with overall run inflation at its peak.
He is rated over Narine in this statistical study for his better wicket-taking ability and pips Malinga over his adjusted economy rate owing to his excellent spells in high-scoring games.
His sensational 2/14 in the 2019 final without conceding a single boundary in 4 overs, still reigns the memories of Mumbai Indians fans.
His ability to shut down the surge in scoring each time he is brought into the attack, stands out why he is the GOAT bowler of this league.
He also recently broke into top 5 of leading IPL wicket-takers of all time.
2. Sunil Narine
- 207 wickets in 200 innings
- Average 25.4
- Economy 6.8
No other bowler has been as economical as Narine in the history of this league.
Scoring highest on economy factor of this analysis, this maestro’s spin mystery has remained intact through the years of evolving batting and flatter pitches.
His peak was so legendary that, despite being a spinner, Gambhir used him in death overs regularly in 2012 season which ultimately paid off with a trophy.
Picking Kohli, ABD & Maxwell in the 2021 Eliminator will be always be the standout performance of this bowler known for containing runs in a virtual stalemate with batsmen.
3. Lasith Malinga
- 170 wickets in 122 innings
- Average 19.8
- Economy 7.1
Malinga's yorker is synonymous with T20 cricket and, in the IPL, he went beyond even that reputation.
Unplayable for most of his career, Malinga ranks among the best death-over bowlers alongside Bravo and Bumrah.
His slower dipping yorker to get Shardul out on the last ball of 2019 final, after going for 42 in first 3 overs, remains one of the clearest testaments to his nerves of steel in penultimate overs.
He also has 5 wickets across finals while winning the trophy – joint most in IPL history.
4. Rashid Khan
- 179 wickets in 153 innings
- Average 23.9
- Economy 7.3
Rashid Khan is one of the few bowlers who have adapted well to the flatter pitches in recent seasons, boasting cheap economy in high-scoring affairs where opponent scored above 200.
Despite doing better than Bumrah in the economy scoring, he has lost points in generating wickets and dot balls more frequently.
Rashid is the only bowler to have won 5 or more IPL POTM awards for multiple franchises (SRH & GT) and has tackled both eras alike from sluggish pitches of Uppal to absolute belters of Motera.
His 4/24 against LSG to take GT into the Playoffs is rated among his best bowling performances.
5. Yuzvendra Chahal
- 233 wickets in 184 innings
- Average 23.2
- Economy 8.1
- Hattricks 2
The leading wicket-getter in IPL history ranks 5th in our scoring system.
His exceptional frequency of getting breakthroughs boosts his rating significantly but, in fact, it is the only area where he is not below par.
His attacking approach has left him with some unwanted records, including becoming the only player to concede more than 250 sixes in the league.
His 5/40 against KKR dismissing Rana, Shreyas and Venkatesh remains the best spell of his career especially since Knight Riders were looking comfortable in the chase and it included a hattrick.
6. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- 226 wickets in 206 innings
- Average 26.2
- Economy 7.7
- Purple Caps 2
Bhuvneshwar is behind only Chahal in all-time wickets tally and a popular pick in bowling markets on the best IPL betting apps in the recent seasons.
Doing well across board, Bhuvi exceeds expectations on Dot and Clutch factor where he is only behind Harbhajan as per our rating.
One of the most frequent bowlers of dots, Bhuvi has the all-time record with 2004 dots bowled in total.
His 5/19 against PBKS defending 160 is often hailed his best ever spell in IPL history.
7. Varun Chakravarthy
- 111 wickets in 94 innings,
- Average 24.7
- Economy 7.7
The rise of Varun has been like very few in this league. This mystery spinner played a key role in KKR’s 2024 title win and has carried his form since.
Even after scoring misery in the Playoffs rating, Varun has elevated his final score with his exceptional defensive bowling leading to one of the best Economy scores in our analysis.
His 5/20 against Capitals in 2020 is cited his best spell where his dismissed a set Shreyas & Rishabh along with Hetmyer and Stoinis while defending 195.
8. Harbhajan Singh
- 150 wickets in 160 innings
- Average 26.9
- Economy 7.1
Harbhajan has done well on Economy and Clutch factors but has lost significant points on wickets frequency.
One of the stalwarts of Mumbai Indians with 14 seasons and 3 titles in the blue, he also won the trophy with CSK in 2018 - making him one of the rare players with multiple starred jerseys.
Defending 164 at Wankhede against CSK, his 5/18 including wickets of Raina, Anirudh, Albie and Ashwin, remains the most cherished spell of his IPL career.
9. Kagiso Rabada
- 148 wickets in 101 innings
- Average 22.7
- Economy 8.8
- Purple Caps 2
Rabada has been one of the most frequent wicket-takers in the league but concedes at an alarmingly high rate which costed him his place in the top 5 of this scoring system.
He has delivered 2 seasons as highest wicket-getters including the last one where he also conceded 40 sixes and 100 boundaries - most ever in an IPL season.
He recently completed 100 innings in IPL with 147 wickets, breaking Malinga’s record of 146.
His best bowling figures are 4/21 against RCB in 2019 where he dismissed Kohli and de Villiers both - making it his most exceptional spell.
10. Ravichandran Ashwin
- 187 wickets in 217 innings
- Average 30.2
- Economy 7.2
Ashwin keeps it simple in the middle overs and is very reliable to keep the flow of runs under control with his carrom balls.
He is tied with Rabada in our scoring, but has scored more in economy area unlike the former.
His playoff exploits, thanks to the most consistent team in the league, has boosted his score as well.
His most memorable spell remains 3/16 in the 2011 final where he dismissed peak Gayle off the 2nd ball of the innings with a setup so good, it ranks among one of the best IPL moments of all time.
Most wickets in IPL history
Yuzvendra Chahal has the most wickets in IPL history with Bhuvneshwar right behind him.
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | Dots | 3-fers | Maidens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 184 | 233 | 23.2 | 8.1 | 17.3 | 1,376 | 23 | 4 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 206 | 226 | 26.2 | 7.7 | 20.4 | 2,004 | 22 | 14 |
| Sunil Narine | 200 | 207 | 25.4 | 6.8 | 22.5 | 1,857 | 17 | 3 |
| Piyush Chawla | 191 | 192 | 26.6 | 8 | 20.1 | 1,358 | 15 | 2 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 187 | 23.7 | 7.3 | 19.4 | 1,530 | 25 | 8 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 217 | 187 | 30.2 | 7.2 | 25.2 | 1,663 | 9 | 4 |
| Dwayne Bravo | 158 | 183 | 23.8 | 8.4 | 17 | 1,054 | 16 | 3 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 237 | 180 | 30.4 | 7.7 | 23.6 | 1,391 | 17 | 2 |
| Rashid Khan | 153 | 179 | 23.9 | 7.3 | 19.7 | 1,316 | 19 | 4 |
| Amit Mishra | 162 | 174 | 23.8 | 7.4 | 19.4 | 1,220 | 17 | 6 |
Most wickets in IPL 2026
Kagiso Rabada had the most wickets in IPL 2026:
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | Dots | 3-fers | Maidens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kagiso Rabada | 17 | 29 | 21.6 | 9.7 | 13.4 | 172 | 5 | 1 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 16 | 28 | 17.9 | 8 | 13.5 | 152 | 6 | 0 |
| Jofra Archer | 16 | 25 | 22.4 | 9.3 | 14.4 | 158 | 3 | 1 |
| Anshul Kamboj | 14 | 21 | 25.2 | 10.5 | 14.4 | 117 | 3 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 17 | 21 | 24.6 | 9.1 | 16.2 | 117 | 3 | 0 |
| Eshan Malinga | 15 | 20 | 25.4 | 9.3 | 16.3 | 117 | 2 | 0 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 17 | 19 | 29.6 | 9.1 | 19.6 | 172 | 1 | 1 |
| Rasikh Salam | 12 | 19 | 21.3 | 9.5 | 13.5 | 84 | 3 | 1 |
| Kartik Tyagi | 13 | 18 | 27.7 | 9.8 | 17 | 113 | 2 | 0 |
| Jason Holder | 11 | 17 | 17.1 | 7.6 | 13.5 | 94 | 3 | 0 |
Most wickets in an IPL season
Bravo and Harshal still hold the all-time record of most wickets in an IPL season courtesy their incredible run in 2013 & 2021 respectively.
| Bowler | Season | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | Dots | 3-fers | Maidens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwayne Bravo | 2013 | 18 | 32 | 15.5 | 8 | 11.7 | 140 | 4 | 0 |
| Harshal Patel | 2021 | 15 | 32 | 14.3 | 8.1 | 10.6 | 122 | 6 | 0 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2020 | 17 | 30 | 18.3 | 8.3 | 13.1 | 156 | 4 | 1 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2026 | 17 | 29 | 21.6 | 9.7 | 13.4 | 172 | 5 | 1 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2026 | 16 | 28 | 17.9 | 8 | 13.5 | 152 | 6 | 0 |
| James Faulkner | 2013 | 16 | 28 | 15.3 | 6.8 | 13.5 | 170 | 4 | 2 |
| Lasith Malinga | 2011 | 16 | 28 | 13.4 | 6 | 13.5 | 195 | 3 | 2 |
| Mohammed Shami | 2023 | 17 | 28 | 18.6 | 8 | 13.9 | 193 | 5 | 2 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2020 | 15 | 27 | 15 | 6.7 | 13.3 | 175 | 5 | 2 |
| Mohit Sharma | 2023 | 14 | 27 | 13.4 | 8.2 | 9.8 | 87 | 4 | 0 |
Best fast bowler in IPL history
Jasprit Bumrah ranking top on our analysis also makes him the best fast bowler in IPL history by extension.
His impact in death-overs remain at par with Malinga and has done well in powerplay too.
Dwayne Bravo also gets shouts of best pacer in the league owing to his utter domination in a single phase where he raked 102 wickets in death overs alone - an all-time record in IPL.
Lasith Malinga averages just 13 at 7.8 RPO in death overs against Bumrah’s 20 at 8.3 RPO but after adjusting for the run inflation, the latter doesn’t seem far behind.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has dominated powerplay but has blown hot and cold with respect to his accuracy in death overs elevating his overall economy in the death phase to 9.4.
Overall numbers of the Top 5 below (sorted by wickets):
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average | Team Average | Economy | Team Economy | 3-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 206 | 226 | 26.2 | 28.6 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 22 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 187 | 23.7 | 28 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 25 |
| Dwayne Bravo | 158 | 183 | 23.8 | 24.1 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 16 |
| Lasith Malinga | 122 | 170 | 19.8 | 24.4 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 19 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 101 | 148 | 22.7 | 26.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 16 |
Best spin bowler in IPL history
Sunil Narine barely missed the top spot to Bumrah by just few decimal points in our analysis and is placed comfortably ahead of Rashid in terms of volume too.
Narine is the only spinner in the list of top 25 wicket-getters in death overs and he ranks 6th which is outstanding because of his defensive strategy.
He is also the only bowler in top 10 wicket-takers in middle overs phase to have economy below 6.5.
He has dominated both phases alike and is undisputedly the best spin bowler in IPL history.
Rashid Khan with 121 dismissals is 5th on the list of wicket-takers in the middle overs of IPL.
In this phase, he is the only bowler to average below 25 and has an economy of 6.9 which is only behind Narine among leading wicket getters.
He is also one of the only 4 bowlers to take a 4-wicket haul in this phase alongside Jadeja, Kuldeep & Markande.
Yuzvendra Chahal is the leading wicket-taker in middle overs phase with 149 dismissals.
Boasting third best average of 25.6 among leading wicket-takers in middle overs after Rashid & Mishra, Chahal also is the most frequent at picking wickets with 19.9 deliveries per dismissal.
Setting the record of most wickets by a spinner in a season with 27 scalps, he reached his peak in 2022 when he won the purple cap.
Overall numbers of these 3 spinners (sorted by wickets):
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average | Team Average | Economy | Team Economy | 3-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 184 | 233 | 23.2 | 28.2 | 8.1 | 8.7 | 23 |
| Sunil Narine | 200 | 207 | 25.4 | 26.9 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 17 |
| Rashid Khan | 153 | 179 | 23.9 | 26 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 19 |
Best Indian bowler in IPL history
Jasprit Bumrah is inarguably the best Indian bowler in IPL history.
He has dominated not only the hard overs but also the harder era when 200+ team totals are a norm.
Bumrah is easily the only Indian bowler who is yet to be decoded in a conventional sense. Hitting him at will is yet to be seen in this long history of league.
For a minimum 100 wickets, Bumrah’s average of 23.7 is only behind Nehra & Chahal while his economy of 7.3 is only behind Harbhajan & Ashwin, making him a rare blend of attack and control - much like AB de Villiers in batting.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a powerplay savant with conventional swing and control. He has record 97 dismissals to his name in first 6 overs of the game at economy of just 6.55 - best among top 15 wicket getters in powerplay.
His average of 28.6 is in above average range but great in context as batters generally do not take him on with the new ball.
Alongside the rare record of being the only bowler to win back-to-back purple caps in 2016-17, Bhuvi is also one of just 3 to claim Purple Cap in a trophy winning season.
He also won the trophy last season with stellar performance cementing his legacy as an IPL great.
Yuzvendra Chahal has mostly played at Chinnaswamy and it shows in his economy.
Despite the belter conditions, Chahal was deceptive enough with his leg-spin and drifters not only to top the all-time wicket-takers’ list, but also to become the only bowler to take more than 100 wickets for RCB.
His attacking ability and incredible average of 23.2 easily puts him in top 3 Indian bowlers of all-time in the league.
Overall numbers of these 3 bowlers (sorted by wickets):
| Bowler | Innings | Wickets | Average | Team Average | Economy | Team Economy | 3-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 184 | 233 | 23.2 | 28.2 | 8.1 | 8.7 | 23 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 206 | 226 | 26.2 | 28.6 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 22 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 187 | 23.7 | 28 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 25 |
Best bowling figures by an Indian in the IPL
Anil Kumble (3.1-1-05-5)
On 18 April 2009 at Cape Town, Anil Kumble returned 5 wickets for just 5 runs against defending champions Rajasthan Royals, registering the most economical five-wicket haul in IPL history.
RR were reduced to 47/6 after Yusuf Pathan’s wicket in the 12th over and from there it took just 24 balls in total for RCB (Kumble) to wrap the tail-enders.
Bangalore ended up winning the game with a hefty 75-run margin but Kumble missed lost the Player of the Match award to his teammate Dravid for his guiding fifty in the first innings.
Akash Madhwal (3.3-0-05-5)
Madhwal picked a fifer while conceding just 5 in IPL Eliminator 2023 against LSG – best figures in an IPL Playoff match.
Defending 182, he dismissed Badoni and Pooran (on a golden duck) in the same over and turned the game in Mumbai’s favour completely.
17 out of his 21 deliveries were dots which showed immense control with flair in a big knockout match. LSG were reduced from 69/2 to 101/10 as Madhwal became the first ever bowler to register a 5-fer in IPL Playoffs.
Best economy rate in IPL history
Muttaih Muralitharan has the best economy rate in IPL history for a minimum 1000 deliveries bowled.
| Bowler | Innings | Balls | Wickets | Economy | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Muralitharan | 66 | 1,524 | 63 | 6.7 | 26.9 | 24.2 |
| Sunil Narine | 200 | 4,651 | 207 | 6.8 | 25.4 | 22.5 |
| Dale Steyn | 95 | 2,176 | 97 | 6.9 | 25.9 | 22.4 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 160 | 3,416 | 150 | 7.1 | 26.9 | 22.8 |
| Lasith Malinga | 122 | 2,827 | 170 | 7.1 | 19.8 | 16.6 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 217 | 4,710 | 187 | 7.2 | 30.2 | 25.2 |
| Murli Kartik | 55 | 1,150 | 31 | 7.2 | 44.8 | 37.1 |
| Shane Warne | 54 | 1,194 | 57 | 7.3 | 25.4 | 20.9 |
| Rashid Khan | 153 | 3,530 | 179 | 7.3 | 23.9 | 19.7 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 158 | 3,631 | 187 | 7.3 | 23.7 | 19.4 |
Most runs conceded by a bowler in an IPL match
The record of most runs conceded in an IPL match belongs to Jofra Archer - one of the most fearsome bowlers of this generation who became the first bowler to breach 75-run mark in IPL history.
In the 2nd match of 2025 season at Uppal in great batting conditions, SRH raked up 286 in 20 overs tanking Jofra Archer’s figures in the process.
After Travis Head slashed him around for 23 runs in 4th over with 4 fours and six, Kishan dispatched him over the rope thrice in the 13th over taking his figures to 57 runs from 3 overs.
In his last over Klaasen hit a hattrick of fours and accumulated another 23 with a helping four from Kishan. Archer also became the only bowler to concede 14 boundaries in an IPL match.
The unfortunate spell reads 4-0-76-0.
Best bowling figures in IPL history
- 3.4-1-12-6 : Alzarri Joseph vs SRH (2019)
- 4.0-0-14-6 : Sohail Tanvir vs CSK (2008)
- 4.0-0-19-6 : Adam Zampa vs SRH (2016)
- 3.1-1-05-5 : Anil Kumble vs RR (2009)
- 3.3-0-05-5 : Akash Madhwal vs LSG (2023)
- 2.2-0-10-5 : Mohit Sharma vs MI (2023)
- 4.0-1-10-5 : Jasprit Bumrah vs KKR (2022)
- 3.0-0-12-5 : Ishant Sharma vs KTK (2011)
- 3.4-1-13-5 : Lasith Malinga vs DC (2011)
- 4.0-0-14-5 : Mark Wood vs DC (2023)
- 4.0-0-14-5 : Ankit Rajpoot vs SRH (2018)
Who has taken 6 wickets in an IPL match?
Alzarri Joseph (3.4-1-12-6)
Before Praful Hinge was hailed for the best IPL debut ever, Alzarri had long held that crown.
On his IPL debut at age 22, he returned 6/12 and broke Sohail Tanvir’s 11-year-old record of 6/14 registered in the inaugural season.
Defending just 137 against Sunrisers, he got Warner first ball and later removed Hooda & Rashid off successive deliveries.
Mumbai ended up winning by a huge margin of 40 runs in a low-scoring affair.
Sohail Tanvir (4.0-0-14-6)
CSK met Rajasthan in middle of their dream season in 2008 and failed to register par score on a decent batting track courtesy unorthodox and effective Sohail Tanvir.
He got rid of both the openers on duck in the first over itself and wrapped up the tail in death overs with his ultimate display of variations.
Royals chased the target in under 15 overs to register a comfortable win.
Adam Zampa (4.0-0-19-6)
Probably the most esteemed 6-fer of the three with 5 recognized batters to his name – Williamson, Yuvraj, Henriques, Hooda and Ojha.
Zampa dented SRH late in their innings and restricted them to a meagre 137 on a sluggish Vishakhapatnam pitch.
The magic went in vain as RPS batters failed to chase the target in a close contest.
IPL hat trick list
- 2008: Lakshmipathy Balaji vs KXIP
- 2008: Amit Mishra vs Deccan Chargers
- 2008: Makhaya Ntini vs KKR
- 2009: Yuvraj Singh vs RCB
- 2009: Rohit Sharma vs MI
- 2009: Yuvraj Singh vs Deccan Chargers
- 2010: Praveen Kumar vs RR
- 2011: Amit Mishra vs KXIP
- 2012: Ajit Chandila vs Pune Warriors
- 2013: Sunil Narine vs KXIP
- 2013: Amit Mishra vs Pune Warriors
- 2014: Pravin Tambe vs KKR
- 2014: Shane Watson vs SRH
- 2016: Axar Patel vs Gujarat Lions
- 2017: Samuel Badree vs MI
- 2017: Andrew Tye vs RPS
- 2017: Jaydev Unadkat vs SRH
- 2019: Sam Curran vs DC
- 2019: Shreyas Gopal vs RCB
- 2021: Harshal Patel vs MI
- 2022: Yuzvendra Chahal vs KKR
- 2023: Rashid Khan vs KKR
- 2025: Yuzvendra Chahal vs CSK
Best bowler in IPL history FAQs
