Guide

Top 10 best bowling figures in IPL history

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for best bowling figures in IPL history. He picked up six wickets for 12 runs in IPL 2019. Check out the list of top 10 best bowling figures in the tournament

Umaima Saeed
Umaima Saeed

Last Updated: 2024-05-15

Louis Hobbs

7 minutes read

Lasith Malinga of the Mumbai Indians celebrates taking the last wicket to give the Mumbai Indians the win during the Indian Premier League Final

Image Credits: Robert Cianflone/Getty Image

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed a few exceptional bowling performances over the years. The top 10 best bowling figures in IPL history show the remarkable talent of various bowlers who have excelled in restricting runs and taking wickets.

Best bowling figures in IPL history – top 10 list 

Player

Overs

Mdns

Runs

Wkts

Econ

Team

Opposition

Ground

Match Date

AS Joseph

3.4

1

12

6

3.27

MI

v SRH

Hyderabad

06 Apr 2019

Sohail Tanvir

4.0

-

14

6

3.50

RR

v CSK

Jaipur

04 May 2008

A Zampa

4.0

-

19

6

4.75

Supergiants

v SRH

Visakhapatnam

10 May 2016

A Kumble

3.1

1

5

5

1.57

RCB

v RR

Cape Town

18 Apr 2009

A Madhwal

3.3

-

5

5

1.42

MI

v LSG

Chennai

24 May 2023

JJ Bumrah

4.0

1

10

5

2.50

MI

v KKR

DY Patil

09 May 2022

MM Sharma

2.2

-

10

5

4.28

GT

v MI

Ahmedabad

26 May 2023

I Sharma

3.0

-

12

5

4.00

Chargers

v Kochi

Kochi

27 Apr 2011

SL Malinga

3.4

1

13

5

3.54

MI

v Daredevils

Delhi

10 Apr 2011

AS Rajpoot

4.0

-

14

5

3.50

Kings XI

v SRH

Hyderabad

26 Apr 2018

The Indian Premier League has witnessed some phenomenal bowling performances over the years. From astonishing spells that turned matches on their head to incredible precision and skill that stifled batters, these best bowling figures in IPL history are unforgettable moments.

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for the best bowling figures in IPL history. Playing for Mumbai Indians, Joseph produced a breathtaking performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019, taking six wickets for just 12 runs. His spell dismantled the opposition's batting lineup, leading his team to a convincing 40-run victory.

Before Joseph's heroics, Sohail Tanvir held the record for 11 years. The left-arm pacer took six wickets for 14 runs against Chennai Super Kings while representing Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural season of IPL. His exceptional bowling was a pivotal factor in his team's eight-wicket victory.

Adam Zampa made a memorable IPL debut in 2016. He made a mark by claiming six wickets for 19 runs in just his second match for

Rising Pune Supergiants. Although his team fell short in the run chase, his figures remain one of the best bowling performances in a losing cause.

The legendary Anil Kumble also left his mark on IPL history with his stunning performance for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Rajasthan Royals. Kumble claimed five wickets for a mere five runs in just 3.1 overs, leading his team to a dominant victory.

Recent seasons have seen similar stellar displays. Akash Madhwal delivered an exceptional spell for Mumbai Indians in 2023, taking five wickets for just five runs against Lucknow Super Giants in the eliminator match. His magical bowling helped Mumbai to a significant 81-run win.
 

asprit Bumrah and Mohit Sharma also stand out for their incredible spells, with Bumrah's 5/10 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022 and Sharma's 5/10 against Mumbai Indians in 2023. 

Image Credits: @mufaddal_vohra (X Account)

Image Credits: @mufaddal_vohra (X Account)

Best bowling figures on IPL debut 

Alzarri Joseph, a young West Indian pacer, achieved this remarkable feat while representing Mumbai Indians in 2019. In his debut IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, Joseph delivered an exceptional spell that left cricket fans in awe. He bowled four overs and claimed six wickets for just 12 runs, an extraordinary performance that not only dismantled the Sunrisers' batting lineup.

He consistently troubled the Sunrisers' batsmen with his pace and movement, proving too difficult for them to handle. His figures of 6/12 are not only the best on debut but also the best bowling figures in IPL history, a record that is yet to be surpassed.

Best bowling figures in T20 cricket

Player

Overs

Mdns

Runs

Wkts

Econ

Team

Opposition

Ground

Match Date

Syazrul Idrus

4.0

1

8

7

2.00

Malaysia

v China

Kuala Lumpur

26 Jul 2023

P Aho

3.4

1

5

6

1.36

Nigeria

v Sierra Leone

Lagos

24 Oct 2021

DL Chahar

3.2

-

7

6

2.10

India

v Bangladesh

Nagpur

10 Nov 2019

DM Nakrani

4.0

1

7

6

1.75

Uganda

v Lesotho

Kigali

19 Oct 2021

BAW Mendis

4.0

2

8

6

2.00

Sri Lanka

v Zimbabwe

Hambantota

18 Sep 2012

MA Baig

4.0

-

9

6

2.25

Malawi

v Rwanda

Benoni

16 Dec 2023

JJ Smit

4.0

1

10

6

2.50

Namibia

v Uganda

Windhoek

10 Apr 2022

A Bohara

3.4

-

11

6

3.00

Nepal

v Maldives

Hangzhou

01 Oct 2023

Nasrulla Rana

4.0

1

12

6

3.00

Hong Kong

v P.N.G.

Kuala Lumpur

24 Sep 2023

PS Bais

4.0

-

14

6

3.50

Mexico

v Costa Rica

Guacima

14 Apr 2024

Malaysian fast bowler Syazrul Idrus made headlines by recording the best bowling figures in T20 cricket during a match between Malaysia and China in the ICC T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier 2023. He is the only male player to take seven wickets in a T20 international game.

Colin Ackermann, an all-rounder from the Netherlands, also took seven wickets in a T20 game. He achieved the feat while playing for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in the 2019 T20 Blast, making him the first male player to take seven wickets in a T20 game.

From among the Test playing nations, India's Deepak Chahar holds the record for the best bowling figures in T20s. The fast bowler made history on November 10, 2019, in Nagpur during a game against Bangladesh. He recorded outstanding bowling figures of 6 wickets for 7 runs in just 3.2 overs, including a hat-trick, which made him the first Indian to take a T20 International hat-trick. 

Also read – Best Bowling Figures in PSL 

Anil Kumble best bowling figures in IPL

Anil Kumble delivered one of the most economical bowling spells in IPL history during a 2009 match against the Rajasthan Royals. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kumble gave away just five runs and took five wickets in his 3.1 overs. His performance led to the collapse of the Rajasthan batting lineup, which was bowled out for just 58 runs.

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Umaima Saeed
Umaima SaeedSports Writer

Umaima Saeed is a professional sports writer whose articles have been featured in several leading websites. She writes long-form content on sports, particularly cricket. She has a penchant for telling human-interest stories. Umaima has contributed articles on cricket to more than a dozen publications, both in print and online.