Yuzvendra Chahal stands as the highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) may be famous for big batting performances, but bowlers have been equally instrumental in winning matches and tournaments. In the IPL, the Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler with the most wickets in a season.
Over the years, several bowlers have dominated seasons and even carved their names in history as the highest wicket-takers in IPL.
We delve into the most wickets in IPL – from the highest wicket-taker in IPL history to the best bowling figures in a match, as well as the current IPL 2025 Purple Cap race.
A few important questions, like who has taken the most wickets in the IPL, will be answered here. You will also find out who the IPL’s top bowler is. Additionally, we will look at who holds the record for the most wickets in one IPL season.
The race for the Purple Cap in IPL 2025 is well underway. With each passing game, the competition among bowlers has grown tighter. As teams adjust their strategies and pitches begin to wear out, bowlers are expected to play an even more critical role in the middle overs and death.
Several bowlers have already made a strong impression in the first few weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, and the updated Purple Cap standings reflect their impact.
Leading the pack is Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who has taken nine wickets in just three matches, emerging as the most consistent spinner in the tournament so far. The young Afghan spinner’s success this season highlights the growing influence of wrist-spin in T20 cricket. As of now, Noor holds the Purple Cap and is the highest wicket taker in IPL 2025.
Hot on his heels is Mitchell Starc of Delhi Capitals, who has made a stunning return to the IPL. Despite a relatively high economy rate of 10.04, if he continues his wicket-taking form, he could challenge for the title of most wicket taker in IPL 2025.
Following them is a four-way tie with Josh Hazlewood (RCB), R Sai Kishore (GT), Khaleel Ahmed (CSK), and Shardul Thakur (LSG), all having taken six wickets each.
Hazlewood, known for his accuracy and subtle variations, has maintained a tidy economy of 7.26, while left-arm spinner Sai Kishore has also impressed with his control and ability to extract turn. Khaleel Ahmed has been a reliable powerplay option for CSK, and Shardul Thakur’s knack for striking at key moments continues to benefit Lucknow.
As of early April 2025, the Purple Cap standings have started to take shape. The table below shows the current top 10 leading wicket-takers in IPL 2025.
| Rank | Player (Team) | Wickets | Matches | Economy | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noor Ahmad (CSK) | 9 | 3 | 6.83 | 4/18 |
| 2 | Mitchell Starc (DC) | 8 | 2 | 10.04 | 5/35 |
| =3 | Josh Hazlewood (RCB) | 6 | 3 | 7.26 | 3/21 |
| =3 | R Sai Kishore (GT) | 6 | 3 | 7.41 | 3/30 |
| =3 | Khaleel Ahmed (CSK) | 6 | 3 | 7.91 | 3/29 |
| =3 | Shardul Thakur (LSG) | 6 | 3 | 10.22 | 4/34 |
| 7 | Kuldeep Yadav (DC) | 5 | 2 | 5.25 | 3/22 |
| 8 | Digvesh Singh (LSG) | 5 | 3 | 8.41 | 2/30 |
| 9 | Mohammed Siraj (GT) | 5 | 3 | 8.91 | 3/19 |
| 10 | Wanindu Hasaranga (RR) | 5 | 2 | 9.85 | 4/35 |
When it comes to most wickets in IPL history, one name now stands at the top: Yuzvendra Chahal. The wily leg-spinner has taken more IPL wickets than any other bowler. Chahal holds the record for the most wickets taken in the league with 205 wickets to his name.
This makes him the top wicket-taker in IPL history. He has passed record-holders like Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo. Chahal achieved this feat in 161 matches at an economical bowling rate, even registering a five-wicket haul (best bowling of 5/40) along the way.
Essentially, Chahal is IPL’s No.1 bowler in terms of wickets. His consistency over the years for teams like RCB and RR (and briefly MI) has been remarkable.
Chahal’s rise to the top spot has been recent – he overtook former champions such as Dwayne Bravo, who was for a long time the leading wicket-taker. Bravo, a T20 specialist from the West Indies, retired with 183 IPL wickets, a figure later equalled by Indian seam maestro Bhuvneshwar Kumar and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Another veteran leg-spinner, Piyush Chawla, sits high on the list with 192 wickets in his IPL career. These bowlers have been linchpins for their teams, showing that the leading wicket-takers in IPL history include a mix of pacers and spinners, overseas stars and Indian veterans.
These 10 bowlers have the most wickets in IPL history, showcasing longevity and effectiveness. Notably, Lasith Malinga held the record for a long time with 170 wickets in just 122 matches at an excellent strike rate, before being overtaken by the likes of Bravo and Chahal.
Among Indians, apart from Chahal, Amit Mishra, and Piyush Chawla have been prolific leg-spinners, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have led the pace bowling charts with swing and yorkers.
Each of these players has made a mark. For instance, Bhuvneshwar is a two-time Purple Cap winner (2016 and 2017), and Sunil Narine was a mystery spin sensation for KKR with 181 wickets and even a tournament MVP award in 2012.
The fact that five bowlers have crossed 180 wickets and a couple are over 190+ wickets shows how the bar for the IPL highest wicket tally keeps rising as the league continues.
As of 2025, the answer is Yuzvendra Chahal with 205+ wickets. He is still active, which means he could extend his lead further. Close behind him is Piyush Chawla with 192, though Chawla is near the twilight of his career. It’s a testament to their skill that they top a list filled with T20 greats.
Below is a table of the IPL top 10 wicket takers of all time, which highlights the bowlers with the most wickets in IPL since the tournament’s inception:
| Player | Wickets | Matches | IPL Teams (Tenure) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 205 | 161 | MI, RCB, RR (2013–2025) |
| Piyush Chawla | 192 | 192 | PBKS, KKR, CSK, MI (2008–2023) |
| Dwayne Bravo | 183 | 161 | MI, CSK, GL (2008–2022) |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 183 | 177 | RCB, PWI, SRH (2009–2025) |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 183 | 215 | CSK, RPS, DC, PBKS, RR (2009–2025) |
| Sunil Narine | 181 | 179 | KKR (2012–2024) |
| Amit Mishra | 174 | 162 | DC, DCH, SRH, LSG (2008–2023) |
| Lasith Malinga | 170 | 122 | MI (2009–2019) |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 165 | 133 | MI (2013–2023) |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 161 | 243 | RR, KTK, CSK, GL (2008–2025) |
Every season, the IPL’s highest wicket-taker earns the Purple Cap, but only a few have pushed the season record to extraordinary heights.
Who holds the record for most wickets in a single IPL season? We delve into the IPL top wicket taker and players with the most wickets in IPL history in one season.
The record is jointly held by two bowlers – Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel, each with 32 wickets in one season. Bravo set the mark by taking 32 wickets for CSK in IPL 2013, and that record stood unchallenged for eight years.
In IPL 2021, Harshal Patel (playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru) bowled himself into the record books by also snaring 32 wickets, equaling Bravo’s all-time season record. No other bowler has reached the 30-wicket mark in a season aside from these two champion bowlers.
They are the highest wicket-taker in the IPL in one season. Bravo, among the world’s top T20 bowlers historically, will also likely be among the top in the IPL bowler ranking.
To put this in perspective, Bravo’s 32 wickets in 2013 came over 18 matches, while Harshal’s 32 in 2021 came in 15 matches. Harshal’s tally is the highest ever by an Indian in a single IPL season. Both of them comfortably earned the Purple Cap in those seasons. They are the highest wicket-takers in one season of the Indian Premier League.
The next best bowling performances in a single IPL season are also notable. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada picked up 30 wickets for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020, which is the second-highest season haul after the record 32.
Following him, there have been a few instances of bowlers taking 28 wickets in a season – the third-highest tally. Three bowlers share that achievement with 28 wickets in one campaign: Lasith Malinga (2011), James Faulkner (2013), and Mohammed Shami (2023).
Below is a table of the top bowling seasons by wicket tally – essentially the highest Purple Cap winning (or near-winning) performances in IPL history:
| Wickets | Bowler (Team) | Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Dwayne Bravo (CSK) | 2013 | Purple Cap winner (Tied record) |
| 32 | Harshal Patel (RCB) | 2021 | Purple Cap winner (Tied record) |
| 30 | Kagiso Rabada (DC) | 2020 | Purple Cap winner (2nd highest) |
| 28 | Lasith Malinga (MI) | 2011 | Purple Cap winner (record at the time) |
| 28 | James Faulkner (RR) | 2013 | Runner-up (behind Bravo’s 32) |
| 28 | Mohammed Shami (GT) | 2023 | Purple Cap winner |
The most wickets in an IPL match by a bowler is six wickets, and only three bowlers in IPL history have achieved this feat. The record for the best bowling figures in IPL history belongs to Alzarri Joseph, who took six wickets for just 12 runs in a match.
Joseph achieved this magical 6/12 playing for the Mumbai Indians against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019. This broke the long-standing record of Sohail Tanvir, who had taken 6/14 in the inaugural 2008 season for Rajasthan Royals.
The only other six-wicket haul was by Adam Zampa with 6/19 for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016. No bowler has taken seven wickets in an IPL match yet. The tournament is still waiting for that unprecedented feat.
After those top three performances, a handful of bowlers have managed five-wicket hauls with astonishingly low runs conceded.
The best five-wicket haul in IPL is 5/5, which has been achieved twice: first by the legendary Anil Kumble (5/5 for RCB vs RR in 2009) and more recently by Akash Madhwal (5/5 for MI vs LSG in 2023).
Other memorable spells include Jasprit Bumrah’s 5/10 for Mumbai Indians in 2022 and Mohit Sharma’s 5/10 for Gujarat Titans in 2023.
Classic performances like Ishant Sharma’s 5/12 (Deccan Chargers, 2011), Lasith Malinga’s 5/13 (Mumbai Indians, 2011), and Ankit Rajpoot’s 5/14 (Kings XI Punjab, 2018) also rank among the top 10 bowling figures ever in the IPL.
We look at the most wickets in IPL in one match list here.
| Bowler (Team) | Figures | Opponent | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alzarri Joseph (MI) | 6/12 | vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2019 |
| Sohail Tanvir (RR) | 6/14 | vs Chennai Super Kings | 2008 |
| Adam Zampa (RPS) | 6/19 | vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2016 |
| Anil Kumble (RCB) | 5/5 | vs Rajasthan Royals | 2009 |
| Akash Madhwal (MI) | 5/5 | vs Lucknow Super Giants | 2023 |
| Jasprit Bumrah (MI) | 5/10 | vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 2022 |
| Mohit Sharma (GT) | 5/10 | vs Mumbai Indians | 2023 |
| Ishant Sharma (DC) | 5/12 | vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala | 2011 |
| Lasith Malinga (MI) | 5/13 | vs Delhi Daredevils | 2011 |
| Ankit Rajpoot (KXIP) | 5/14 | vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2018 |
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ALSO READ:
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), bowlers have proven time and again that they can be match-winners in a format often dominated by batsmen.
The highest wicket-takers in IPL history, players like Chahal, Bravo, and Malinga, have cemented their legacies with their wicket totals, and their records set benchmarks for future generations.
The records for the most wickets in an IPL season and the best bowling figures in a match show the pinnacle of individual brilliance. These achievements answer the questions of who is the most wicket taker in IPL and what are the IPL top bowling performances on record.
As of 2025, Yuzvendra Chahal stands as the highest wicket-taker in IPL history, and it will be exciting to see if he can keep extending that lead or if someone like Piyush Chawla (or other active bowlers) will catch up.
Records are made to be broken, and the IPL’s rich history of bowling records is bound to get even more exciting in the years to come.
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