Only three players have managed to take six-wicket hauls in IPL history.
Though T20 cricket tilts in batters’ favour, some bowlers have made their mark with outstanding performances. The Indian Premier League has delivered several memorable games, record-breaking team totals, individual performances, and nail-biting chases. It has also witnessed some inspiring spells that changed the course of the game. Here are some of the best bowling figures in IPL history, showcasing skills that cut through the six-hitting excitement.
Alzarri Joseph made a dream debut in 2019 and earned a top spot in the list of best bowling figures in IPL history. Called up as a replacement player for Adam Milne, the tall West Indian pacer played a vital role in the Mumbai Indians’ 136-run defence against a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad, recording the best bowling figures in IPL history.
On his very first ball, he dismissed veteran batter David Warner, who was leading in runs for the season. He was also credited for the wickets of Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, and Siddharth Kaul as Mumbai bowled out SRH for a mere 96. In his 3.4 overs spell, Joseph bowled 16 dot deliveries, including a maiden.
Swing specialist Sohail Tanvir was a nightmare for batters in the early days of IPL 2008. The Rajasthan Royals pacer ripped apart the Chennai Super Kings’ batting lineup, sending Parthiv Patel and Stephen Fleming to the hut in his first over. He went on to take four more wickets, featuring Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, Albie Morkel, Muthiah Muralidaran, and Makhaya Ntini, as CSK were bundled out for 109 runs.
His left-arm bowling was key to RR’s inaugural title win, and he held the record for best bowling figures in IPL for over a decade. His figures in four overs read: six wickets, 14 runs, and 17 dot balls. Eventually, the left-armer finished the season with the most wickets, earning the Purple Cap. Notably, Pakistan players were banned from IPL from the second season.
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa, playing for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016, spun a web around eventual champions SRH to add his name to the list of best bowling figures in IPL history. In four overs, he claimed a six-wicket haul, limiting them to 137/8. RPS fell agonisingly short by four runs while chasing.
Zampa’s variations, including googlies and flippers, exposed T20 fragility. He registered figures of six wickets for 19 runs in four overs at an economy of 4.75 with 11 dot balls.
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Anil Kumble’s economical bowling showcased his expertise in 2009 with the best bowling figures in IPL. In South Africa, RCB set a target of 133 runs. After Praveen Kumar’s early breakthroughs, Kumble spun his magic in just 3.1 overs, returning the figures of five runs, five wickets, and a maiden over against defending champions Rajasthan Royals in Cape Town.
Courtesy of his spell, and exceptional supportive spells from Praveen Kumar and Jesse Ryder, RCB bowled out RR for a 58-run total, one of the lowest team total in IPL history. The innings saw Rajasthan batters scoring just one boundary and two sixes.
Uncapped Akash Madhwal stunned everyone in the Eliminator in IPL 2023. He added his name under best bowling figures in IPL after derailing Lucknow Super Giants’ chase of a commanding 182/5. The right-armer ran through the LSG batting lineup featuring the international stars, as they crumbled for 101. He accounted for the wickets of Prerak Mankad, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mohsin Khan.
In his 3.3 overs, the Mumbai Indians bowler claimed 5/5, at an economy of 1.42. Madhwal’s cutters and slower balls dismantled stars like Nicholas Pooran on a golden duck, propelling MI to Qualifier 2.
| Player | Team | Overs | Maidens | Runs Conceded | Wickets | Opposition | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alzarri Joseph | Mumbai Indians | 3.4 | 1 | 12 | 6 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 06-Apr-2019 |
| Sohail Tanvir | Rajasthan Royals | 4.0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 04-May-2008 |
| Adam Zampa | Rising Pune Supergiant | 4.0 | 0 | 19 | 6 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 10-May-2016 |
| Anil Kumble | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 3.1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 18-Apr-2009 |
| Akash Madhwal | Mumbai Indians | 3.3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | Lucknow Super Giants | 24-May-2023 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Mumbai Indians | 4.0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 09-May-2022 |
| Mohit Sharma | Gujarat Titans | 2.2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | Mumbai Indians | 26-May-2023 |
| Ishant Sharma | Deccan Chargers | 3.0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | Kochi Tuskers Kerala | 27-Apr-2011 |
| Lasith Malinga | Mumbai Indians | 3.4 | 1 | 13 | 5 | Delhi Capitals | 10-Apr-2011 |
| Ankit Rajpoot | Kings XI Punjab | 4.0 | 0 | 14 | 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 26-Apr-2018 |
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