Over the years, it has been seen that teams who possess quality bowlers perform quite well, while those who struggle in this department generally lag behind.
So, let's take a look at the bowlers with the most wickets in IPL history.
We have all heard multiple times that T20 cricket is a batter’s game. However, one thing is to be noted that it is a bowler who turns the game for his team most times. The teams across the world have understood the fact that they need a good set of bowlers to win a tournament. This is true in the biggest T20 tournament IPL as well.
Over the years, it has been seen that teams who possess quality bowlers perform quite well, while those who struggle in this department generally lag behind.
So, let's take a look at the bowlers with the most wickets in IPL history.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Squads of every IPL team after the auction
Top 10 bowlers with most wickets in IPL history:
10. Ravindra Jadeja | 160* Wickets
Ravindra Jadeja is easily the most well-rounded cricketer India has ever produced. A major portion of his success needs to be credited to the IPL, as the Saurashtra superstar built his international career by learning in the IPL under cricketing greats like Shane Warne, MS Dhoni, Stephen Fleming, and others.
Apart from missing the 2010 season, Ravindra Jadeja has played all the other seasons with him representing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since 2012. He has played 240 games taking 160 wickets with the ball with an average of 30.40 and an economy rate of 7.62.
His generational fielding skills have also shined, as the 36-year-old has taken 103 catches in the competition, making him ‘The Ultimate All-rounder’ as he is the only player to have 1000+ runs, 100+ wickets, and 100+ catches, fulfilling his 3-dimensional abilities to the fullest.
9. Jasprit Bumrah | 165* Wickets
Jasprit Bumrah, the game-changer of the game has put his name at no. 9 on this list of bowlers who scalped the most wickets in IPL history. Bumrah has been playing for Mumbai Indians since the 2013 season, in which the franchise bought him at a cheap price.
Bumrah has scalped 165 wickets in 133 games with an average of 22.51. Meanwhile, Bumrah has bowled at an economy rate of 7.30 in the franchise cricket league. This year he will be playing for MI again as the franchise retained him before the mega auction.
8. Lasith Malinga | 170 Wickets
Lasith Malinga, who is undoubtedly the greatest pacer in the IPL history has taken 170 wickets in 122 games he has played. Malinga averages 19.79 with the bowl and maintained an economy rate of 7.14 in the cash-rich league.
Though 108 of these wickets have come in death overs where batters try to score at a faster pace and often get out in the process, still his overall numbers are too good to be questioned.
Malinga started playing for Mumbai Indians in the 2009 season, and last appeared in the 2019 season. His final over in the 2019 final was enough to prove his greatness even at that stage of his career.
7. Amit Mishra | 174 Wickets
The next bowler on the list is Indian leggie Amit Mishra who has picked 174 wickets in 162 games. The seventh-highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL, Mishra, went unsold in the mega auction of IPL 2025.
He has recorded an impressive economy of 7.37 in the league and has been crucial in taking wickets in middle overs. However, previously he has played for Lucknow Super Giants.
6. Ravichandran Ashwin | 180* Wickets
Ravichandran Ashwin is always known as a great bowler in Test cricket but he has also proved his ability in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, Ash comes at number six on this list of bowlers with the most wickets in IPL history.
Ashwin also has picked 180 wickets in 212 matches with an average of 29.82. He has also maintained an economy rate of 7.12.
Ashwin went on to play for Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, and returns to the CSK fold after having featured for Rajasthan Royals for the last three seasons.
The Indian off-spinner was bought by Chennai Super Kings for Rs. 9.75 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. Ashwin had burst onto the scene in 2009 with CSK under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. He represented Super Kings till 2015 and was part of two title-winning campaigns, in 2010 and 2011.
5. Sunil Narine | 180* Wickets
The next bowler on this is none other than the West Indies magician Sunil Narine. Narine has taken 180 wickets in 176 games with an average of 25.39 and bowls with an economy rate of 6.73.
He has been a crucial member of the Kolkata-based franchise KKR, as the franchise won the league back in 2012, 2014, and 2024.
Narine has also played as an opener under Gambhir's captaincy. However, currently, he is with the KKR franchise as they retain the off-spinner before the IPL 2025 mega auction.
4. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 181* Wickets
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with 181 wickets is the fourth name in this list of players with the most wickets in IPL. Bhuvi has played in 176 matches in which he took those 181 wickets at an average of 27.23. However, he has bowled with an economy rate of 7.56 in the league.
Meanwhile, Bhuvi will play for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise as they bought him in the IPL 2025 mega auction at a whopping 10.75 crore price.
3. Dwayne Bravo | 183 Wickets
Dwayne Bravo with 183 wickets is the third name on the list. He is the second pacer after Lasith Malinga on the list to take the most wickets in IPL.
Bravo had been a vital cog in Chennai’s bowling lineup, particularly in the death overs. With MS Dhoni being captain, Bravo’s potential has been used very cleverly for the team’s benefit.
The all-rounder has played 161 IPL games and averages 23.82 with the ball.
He played his last IPL match in the 2022 season for Chennai.
2. Piyush Chawla | 192 Wickets
Piyush Chawla, who was bought by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2021 in the mini-auction is the second-highest wicket-taker in the league history. He has picked 192 wickets in 192 matches with an average of 26.60 and an economy being 7.96.
Piyush Chawla has earlier featured for Chennai, Punjab, and Kolkata-based franchises in the cash-rich league.
Over the last two years, Chawla was the lead spinner for Mumbai Indians. But, no teams went for him in IPL 2025 auction.
1. Yuzvendra Chahal | 205* Wickets
Yuzvendra Chahal has taken the most wickets in IPL history. Chahal has played in 160 games in which he has scalped 205 wickets with an average of 22.44. Moreover, he has an economy of 7.84 in the league.
Previously Chahal has played for RCB till 2021 and this season he will be featuring the Rajasthan Royals as they bought him in the IPL mega auction.
Chahal was with Rajasthan Royals since the 2022 season, claiming 66 wickets in 46 games. He has also represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians earlier in the IPL. He is among the 19 bowlers to have claimed a hat-trick in the IPL.
The leg-break bowler also won the Purple Cap for being the leading wicket-taker during the 2022 season, with 27 wickets to his name in 17 games at an average of 19.51 and an economy of 7.75.
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