Top Wicket Takers in IPL: Who Has Most Wickets

The game of cricket continues to enthral millions of followers worldwide. One of the most well-known forms of the game, the Indian Premier League (IPL), made its debut in 2008 and has since grown in popularity. The league has grown into a setting where both seasoned pros and upcoming sportsmen can showcase their abilities in front of a big audience. One of the things every bowler aspires to do is to become the IPL bowler with the most wickets. The greatest IPL wicket-takers ever will be discussed in this article along with the factors that led to their exceptional performances in the league.

The best wicket-takers in IPL history include some of the most well-known cricketers in the world, and the competition has a long history. These bowlers have contributed significantly to the success of their respective teams and have taken a significant number of wickets in the IPL. The IPL has seen some of the top bowling performances over the years from bowlers of many nations, which is evidence of the quality and skill on display in the competition.

It is not surprising that some of the best wicket-takers in the league were largely unknown before the competition began because the IPL is known for giving up-and-coming cricketers a platform to demonstrate their talent on a big stage. These bowlers have risen to become some of the most well-known cricketers in the world by using the IPL as a platform to establish their names.

IPL Top Wicket Takers

The IPL's top wicket-takers list is dominated by fast bowlers and spinners alike. Here is a look at the top 10 IPL wicket-takers of all time:

S. No.	Player Name	Wickets	Matches	Teams
1	Yuzvendra Chahal	187	145	Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians
2	Dwayne Bravo	183	161	Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Lions
3	Piyush Chawla	179	181	Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, and Mumbai Indians
4	Amit Mishra	173	161	Delhi Capitals, Deccan Chargers, Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad
5	Ravichandran Ashwin	171	197	Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants
6	Lasith Malinga	170	122	Mumbai Indians
7	Bhuvneshwar Kumar	170	160	Pune Warriors India and Sunrisers Hyderabad
8	Sunil Narine	163	162	Kolkata Knight Riders
9	Ravindra Jadeja	152	226	Kochi Tuskers Kerala Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions and Rajasthan Royals
10	Harbhajan Singh	150	163	Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, and Mumbai Indians

1. Yuzvendra Chahal: 187 Wickets — 145 Matches

Yuzvendra Chahal, a right-arm leg break bowler, is among the top 10 in the list with 187 wickets in just 145 matches. He has bowled 528.5 overs with an economy of 7.66. Chahal has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. Chahal made his IPL debut in 2011 for the Mumbai Indians but only played two matches that season. He moved to the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 and has been an integral part of the team ever since. In his first season with RCB, he took 12 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 28.25. He followed this up with 23 wickets in the 2015 season, which was his breakout year in the tournament. In 2022, he was bought by Rajasthan Royals. One of the strengths of Chahal's bowling is his ability to take wickets in the middle overs of the innings. He has a lot of variations in his bowling, including a well-disguised googly and a quick-arm action that makes it difficult for batsmen to read his deliveries. He is also not afraid to fly the ball and is always looking for wickets, which makes him a valuable asset for any team.

2. Dwayne Bravo: 183 Wickets — 161 Matches

Dwayne Bravo, the former West Indian all-rounder, is the second leading wicket-taker in the IPL with a total of 183 wickets in 161 matches. He has bowled a total of 519.5 overs, taking 16 times 3W haul. Bravo has played for several teams in the IPL, including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Lions. He is known for his ability to bowl yorkers and slower balls at the death, which has made him one of the finest bowlers in the history of IPL. Apart from his bowling, Bravo is also an accomplished batsman and a superb fielder. He has scored over 1500 runs in the IPL, with a strike rate of 128.65. His lower-order hitting ability makes him a valuable asset in T20 cricket, and he has often played crucial innings for his teams in pressure situations. In the field, Bravo is an acrobatic and athletic fielder, who has taken several stunning catches and affected many run-outs.

3. Piyush Chawla: 179 Wickets — 181 Matches

Piyush Chawla, the leg-spinner, has taken 179 wickets in 181 matches. Chawla has played for several teams in the IPL, including Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Chennai Super Kings. Chawla made his debut in the IPL in 2008, playing for the Kings XI Punjab. He had an impressive start to his IPL career, picking up 17 wickets in his debut season. Chawla was part of the Kings XI Punjab squad for three seasons before moving to the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011. Chawla was a consistent performer for the Knight Riders, helping them win the IPL title in 2012 and 2014. He has bowled 606.4 overs in the IPL with an average of 26.79 and an economy rate of 7.90 runs per over. He is known for his ability to turn the ball sharply and his consistent line and length. Chawla has been a key member of his teams over the years, and his ability to pick up wickets in the middle overs has been vital to his team's success.

4. Amit Mishra: 173 Wickets — 161 Matches

Amit Mishra, the leg-spinner, is fourth on the list with 173 wickets in 161 matches. He has bowled a total of 559.5 overs till now. Mishra has played for several teams in the IPL, including the Delhi Capitals, Deccan Chargers, Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mishra made his debut in the IPL for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the inaugural season in 2008. He picked up 11 wickets in the tournament, which included a hat-trick against the Deccan Chargers. He is known for his skilful variations in spin and flight, which have helped him deceive even the best batsmen in the league. Mishra has also been known to bowl economically, which makes him a valuable asset for any team.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin: 171 Wickets — 197 Matches

Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian off-spinner, is fifth on the list with 171 wickets in 197 matches. He has played for Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiant, Kings XI Punjab, and Delhi Capitals in the IPL and has been a valuable member of each team. Ashwin began his IPL career with the Chennai Super Kings in 2009 and played for them until 2015, winning the tournament twice. He was then signed by the Rising Pune Supergiants for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, before joining the Kings XI Punjab for the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. In 2020, he was traded to the Delhi Capitals and then he was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 auction. Ashwin has bowled almost 699 overs in IPL till now with a strong economy of 7.01. He is known for his excellent control over line and length, and his ability to bowl a tight off-stump line. He is also a very clever bowler who can outfox even the most experienced batsmen with his variations in flight and spin.

6. Lasith Malinga: 170 Wickets — 122 Matches

Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan speedster, is the second most wicket-taker in the IPL with a total of 170 wickets in 122 matches. He retired from all forms of cricket in 2021. Malinga has been a key member of the Mumbai Indians team, where he played for over a decade. He contributed by bowling 471.1 overs with an economy of 7.14. He took one 5 wicket haul and 18 times 3 wicket haul. Malinga is known for his deadly yorkers and ability to swing the ball at high speeds, which made him one of the most feared bowlers in the league. His ability to deliver under pressure and take wickets consistently has been instrumental in Mumbai Indians winning four IPL titles.

7. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 170 Wickets — 160 Matches

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Indian fast bowler, is seventh in the list of highest wicket-takers with 170 wickets in 160 matches. He has played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Pune Warriors India. He has been a vital part of both the team’s success. Bhuvneshwar's best season in the IPL came in 2017, where he was the leading wicket-taker with 26 wickets in 14 matches, at an impressive average of 14.19 and an economy rate of 7.05. He was instrumental in guiding the Sunrisers Hyderabad to their maiden IPL title that year, taking crucial wickets in almost every game. Bhuvneshwar is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways at a reasonable pace, and his excellent control over line and length makes him a difficult bowler to score against. He is also an excellent fielder and a useful lower-order batsman.

8. Sunil Narine: 163 Wickets — 162 Matches

Sunil Narine, the mystery spinner from the West Indies, is eighth on the list with 163 wickets in 162 matches. He has played for Kolkata Knight Riders throughout his IPL career and has been a key member of the team. Narine's best season in the IPL was in 2012, where he picked up 24 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 5.47. He was the leading wicket-taker in that season, and his performances helped KKR lift their first IPL title. Narine was also awarded the Player of the Tournament award for his contributions. Narine is known for his ability to bowl a variety of deliveries, including the carrom ball and the knuckleball, which have made him a difficult bowler to read. He has also been known to open the batting for Kolkata Knight Riders and has been a handy batsman for the team.

9. Ravindra Jadeja: 152 Wickets — 226 Matches

Ravindra Jadeja, a phenomenal bowler in the Indian Premier League, has left an indelible mark. Having donned the jerseys of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gujarat Lions, Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings, he has consistently performed admirably. Over the course of 226 matches, Jadeja has showcased his skill, amassing an impressive tally of 152 wickets. His remarkable contributions make him a standout performer in the history of the IPL. In the 591.1 overs done by him, he has bowled with an economy of 7.60 while averaging 29.57 with the ball.

10. Harbhajan Singh: 150 Wickets — 163 Matches

Harbhajan Singh is one of India's most successful spin bowlers, and he has been a key player in the IPL as well. Singh has played for three different teams in the league - Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders. He has taken 150 wickets in 163 matches at an average of 26.44 and an economy rate of 7.05. Harbhajan Singh made his IPL debut in the inaugural season of the tournament in 2008. He played for the Mumbai Indians throughout the first ten seasons of the IPL before moving to the Chennai Super Kings for the next three seasons and later on he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders.