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Lasith Malinga on Kieron Pollard's Shoulders (L) and Harshal Patel (R) in IPL (Source: AFP)
Shining as a bowler in the batter-dominated ecosystem of IPL has always been a challenging task since the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2008. The bowlers have had to put in beyond their best to get noticed in the league, where 200+ totals have become the new normal over the last couple of seasons.
Meanwhile, there have been the bowlers, who have troubled the batters with their outstanding bowling performances throughout a single IPL season. That said, here’s a look at the five bowlers with the highest number of wickets in a single season.
5 Bowlers with most wickets in an IPL season
5. James Faulkner (RR) - 28 wickets in IPL 2013
The former Rajasthan Royals all-rounder, James Faulkner, was one of the top performers with the ball in the 2013 edition, in which the RR’s campaign ended in the second qualifier with a four-wicket defeat against the eventual champions, Mumbai Indians, in Kolkata.
Nonetheless, Faulkner shone with the ball for his side and played a vital role in RR’s journey to the tournament’s knockout stage. He scalped 28 wickets in 16 innings at a decent economy rate of 6.75, picking two sensational five-wicket hauls. Faulkner was the second leading wicket-taker in the tournament, following CSK's Dwayne Bravo.
4. Lasith Malinga (MI) - 28 wickets in IPL 2011
The former legendary Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga spearheaded his side’s pace attack for a decade in his 10-season career from 2009 to 2019. Meanwhile, the 2011 edition was the best ever season for him in his entire career in the league.
Malinga claimed 28 wickets in 16 innings at a brilliant economy rate of 5.95 and a strike rate of 13.50, including a five-wicket haul (five wickets for just 13 runs in a match). He ended up being the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. However, his team’s journey ended in the tournament’s second qualifier after they lost to RCB by 43 runs in Mumbai.
3. Kagiso Rabada (DC) - 30 wickets in IPL 2020
The 2020 edition was a season to remember for the star South African speedster, Kagiso Rabada. He played for the Delhi Capitals in that edition and was the ‘top performer with the ball’ both for his side and overall in the tournament.
Rabada snared 30 wickets in 17 innings at an economy rate of 8.34, including two four-wicket hauls with a best performance of four wickets for just 24 runs in a match.
He was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament and won the purple cap award, but his side lost the summit clash to the eventual champions, MI, by a margin of five wickets.
2. Dwayne Bravo (CSK) - 32 wickets in IPL 2013
The former Caribbean stalwart, Dwayne Bravo, was in action for the multi-time IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings, in the 2013 season. The ex-CSK all-rounder shone with the ball for his side throughout the entire campaign.
He ended up picking 32 wickets in 18 innings at an economy rate of 7.95, bagging a four-wicket haul. He won the purple cap award for being the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, but his team unfortunately lost to the Mumbai Indians by 23 runs in the final.
1. Harshal Patel (RCB) - 32 wickets in IPL 2021
The Indian pacer Harshal Patel was associated with RCB in the 2021 edition before moving to his current franchise, SRH. He made an impressive and impactful mark with the ball in the entire 2021 season. Harshal was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.
He picked 32 wickets in 15 innings at an economy rate of 8.14 and a decent bowling strike rate of 10.56, including a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul. With this outing, he also became the bowler with the highest number of wickets in a single season.
