The 3 best bowling figures in an innings from Pakistan players in the PSL – and the very best by an overseas star
With the Pakistan Super League set to get underway on Friday, now is a perfect time to take a look at some of the standout performances from previous seasons.
The tournament first came into being in 2016 which makes 2025 its tenth season. Over the last nine years, there have been plenty of memorable moments—big hundreds, last-over thrillers, and sensational spells with the ball.
Among those, few performances stand out more than the rare feat of taking six wickets in a single innings.
In fact, only four bowlers have ever done it in PSL history. Let’s rewind the clock and relive those incredible spells that made headlines and rewrote the record books.
4. Usama Mir – 6/40
Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars, 2024
Leg-spinner Usama Mir has steadily grown into one of Pakistan’s most consistent wrist-spinners in white-ball cricket. While he’s often used as a containing option in the middle overs, he showed in 2024 that he could also be a match-winner on his day.
Playing for the Multan Sultans against a powerful Lahore Qalandars line-up, Mir ripped through the opposition with a stunning spell of 6 for 40. It wasn’t a classical leg-spinner’s spell with teasing flight and extravagant turn, but it was effective and relentless.
He mixed up his lengths, beat batters with drift and bounce, and capitalised on the pressure built in the powerplay. Though he went for a few runs, the six wickets derailed the Qalandars’ innings and reminded everyone why wrist-spin remains such a potent weapon in T20 cricket.
Umar Gul – 6/24
Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators, 2018
Long before his coaching career began, Umar Gul was one of the pioneers of death bowling in T20s. Known for his deadly yorkers and clever slower balls, Gul was a vital figure in Pakistan’s early white-ball successes.
In the 2018 season, donning the colours of the Multan Sultans, the veteran rolled back the years with a spectacular 6 for 24 against Quetta Gladiators. The spell came at a time when the Gladiators were well placed in a chase, but Gul’s mastery at the death swung the momentum back towards the Sultans.
It was a perfect mix of old-school reverse swing, clever variations and sharp accuracy. The spell proved he still had plenty to offer, and it remains one of the best death-overs masterclasses in PSL history.
Faheem Ashraf – 6/19
Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars, 2019
Often labelled as a batting allrounder early in his career, Faheem Ashraf made sure everyone knew what he could do with the ball when he destroyed Lahore Qalandars in 2019.
Representing Islamabad United, Faheem produced an extraordinary spell of 6 for 19 that showcased his ability to move the ball at pace and deliver when it mattered.
What stood out about this performance was how he kept attacking even as wickets tumbled — there was simply no let-up in his intensity.
Swinging the new ball and executing precise short deliveries, Faheem dismantled Lahore’s top and middle order, reducing them to rubble and setting up a huge win for United. It remains one of the most clinical bowling efforts in PSL history.
Ravi Bopara – 6/16
Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars, 2016
The honour of the best bowling figures in PSL history belongs to Ravi Bopara, the England all-rounder more known for his batting than his bowling. In the inaugural 2016 edition, playing for the Karachi Kings, Bopara stunned everyone with an almost surreal spell of 6 for 16 against Lahore Qalandars.
Bowling his gentle-medium pacers, Bopara used the conditions to perfection, keeping it tight, getting the ball to grip just a little, and frustrating the batters into making mistakes. The wickets came in clusters, and his spell ensured that Lahore were bundled out for just 125. He then went on to score a half-century in the chase, completing a rare and remarkable all-round performance.
That single game elevated his Pakistan Super League status overnight and ensured his name would be forever etched in league folklore. Despite his performance coming in the inaugural season of PSL, it has yet to be bettered.