The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed some exceptional bowling performances over the years. Bowlers have managed to earn a name in a format where, the conditions help the batsman more. Here are the top three bowling figures in the history of IPL:
Alzarri Joseph – 6/12: Alzarri Joseph’s spell in the IPL was one of the best bowling performances in the history of the tournament. Joseph made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in 2019, and in his very first match, he picked up 6 wickets for just 12 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Joseph’s spell was remarkable as he bowled with great pace and accuracy, hitting the right lengths consistently. He removed top-order batsmen David Warner, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Siddarth Kaul, helping Mumbai Indians bundle out Sunrisers Hyderabad for a paltry total of 96.
Joseph’s impressive debut performance earned him the record for the best bowling figures in IPL history, surpassing Sohail Tanvir’s 6/14 in the inaugural edition of the tournament. His spell also helped Mumbai Indians win the match comfortably, by nine wickets, with captain Rohit Sharma scoring an unbeaten 55
Sohail Tanvir – 6/14: Tanvir made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008, and in a match against Chennai Super Kings, he picked up 6 wickets for just 14 runs.
Tanvir’s spell was a game-changer as he bowled with great accuracy, hitting the right lengths consistently, and varied his pace intelligently. He removed the top order batsmen including Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, and M.S. Dhoni. Tanvir also became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in IPL, removing Makhaya Ntini, Joginder Sharma, and Faf du Plessis off successive deliveries.
Tanvir’s impressive spell helped Rajasthan Royals restrict Chennai Super Kings to a paltry total of just 109 runs. Rajasthan Royals eventually went on to win the match by 8 wickets, with Tanvir being awarded the Man of the Match for his outstanding performance. His spell of 6/14 remained the best bowling figures in IPL history until Alzarri Joseph broke the record in 2019
Adam Zampa – 6/19: Adam Zampa’s spell in the IPL was an outstanding performance by the Australian leg-spinner. Zampa played for Rising Pune Supergiants in IPL 2016, and in a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he picked up 6 wickets for just 19 runs.
Zampa’s spell was a game-changer as he bowled with great control, hitting the right lengths consistently, and bowled a mix of leg-spin and googlies to deceive the batsmen. He removed the top-order batsmen including David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Yuvraj Singh. Zampa also picked up the wickets of Deepak Hooda, Naman Ojha, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, finishing with the best bowling figures by a spinner in IPL history.
Despite Zampa’s impressive spell, Rising Pune Supergiants failed to defend the total of 118, and Sunrisers Hyderabad won the match by five wickets. However, Zampa’s outstanding performance was recognized, and he was awarded the Man of the Match for his exceptional spell of bowling
