Best match bowling figures in IPL history – a few 6-fors, but tournament still waiting for first 7-for

Jonhenry Wilson 12 Mar 2025

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for the best match bowling figures in the history of the IPL.

Which bowlers have the best match figures in history of the Indian Premier League?

And what are those bowling figures, against which teams?

Read on to find out more about the best bowling figures in the IPL.

10. Ankit Rajpoot – 5/14

Ankit Rajpoot holds the record for the 10th best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008. The right-arm seamer did this for the Punjab Kings at the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s home ground in 2018.

He was named Player of the Match for a five-for that included the dismissals of international batters Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi and Shikhar Dhawan.

9. Lasith Malinga – 5/13

Lasith Malinga holds the record for the ninth best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

The Sri Lanka and Mumbai Indians pace ace did this against Delhi, when they were still known as the Daredevils rather than the Capitals in 2011. Conditions in Delhi were relatively placid for fast bowling, but Malinga raced through five wickets, including that of David Warner.

8. Ishant Sharma – 5/12

Ishant Sharma holds the record for the eighth best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

The Indian seamer collected these fine figures for the Deccan Chargers against the Kochi Tuskers Kerala in Kochi in 2011. Both teams are no longer in the IPL. Sharma was opening the bowling with South Africa speedster Dale Steyn at the time.

7. Mohit Sharma – 5/10

Mohit Sharma holds the record for the seventh best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

Sharma is also the owner of the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. But before that nightmare performance, he was in superb form for the Gujarat Titans against the Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad in 2023.

Also read: Listing every Indian Premier League century since 2017 – record number of tons in 2024

6. Jasprit Bumrah – 5/10

Jasprit Bumrah holds the record for the sixth best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

His team was Mumbai, the opposition Kolkata, the venue Mumbai and the year 2022, when the Indian pace ace had Andre Russell, Pat Cummins and Sunil Narine among his victims on the day.

5. Akash Madhwal – 5/5

Akash Madhwal holds the record for the fifth best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

He was the only local seamer in a Mumbai Indians attack that also featured Australia‘s Cameron Green and Jason Behrendorff – and England‘s Chris Jordan – against the Lucknow Super Giants in Chennai in 2023.

4. Anil Kumble – 5/5

Anil Kumble holds the record for the fourth best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore leg-spinner was bowling well when the IPL was played in South Africa in 2009. Three of his five wickets were taken among the Rajasthan Royals’ bottom four batters at Newlands in Cape Town. These figures remain the best by an Indian player at the IPL.

3. Adam Zampa – 6/19

Adam Zampa holds the record for the third best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

Zampa has the best figures by a leg-spinner in IPL history. He is one of only three men to take a six-wicket haul at the tournament. It was for the Lucknow Supergiant against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam in 2016.

2. Sohail Tanvir – 6/14

Sohail holds the record for the second best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

Tanvir is a rarity – a Pakistan player allowed to participate in the IPL. He still holds the record for the best tournament figures by a left-arm seamer, which he achieved for the Rajasthan Royals against the Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur during the inaugural edition in 2008.

1. Alzarri Joseph – 6/12

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for the best match bowling figures in the history of the Indian Premier League, since the introduction of the tournament in 2008.

Tanvir’s record was the best until the big West Indian fast bowler came along 11 years later, snaring six wickets for next to nothing for SRH against Mumbai in Hyderabad in 2019.