Best Bowling Figures in IPL History - Records & Stats

Last Updated:

April, 2026

Alzarri Joseph, who recorded the best bowling figures in IPL history, has not played an IPL match since April 6, 2019. Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium had 137 runs to defend for the Mumbai Indians. David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, and Rashid Khan were in the line-up of SRH.

In 3.4 overs, Joseph took 6 wickets for 12 runs. SRH were bowled out for 96. Mumbai won by 40 runs.

The scoreline of that is 6 years old. The number of other bowlers in the history of IPL to take 6 wickets in an innings is 2. The three are the owners of the three six-wicket hauls that the IPL has ever had. No one has been able to do it even once in 18 seasons of thousands of innings.

Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in IPL History

Discover the Best Bowling Figures in IPL History, highlighting unforgettable spells in the Indian Premier League where bowlers delivered match-winning performances with remarkable accuracy and impact.

No.	Bowler	Figures	Overs	Match	Result	Year
1	Alzarri Joseph	6/12	3.4	MI vs SRH	MI won	2019
2	Sohail Tanvir	6/14	4	RR vs CSK	RR won	2008
3	Adam Zampa	6/19	4	RPS vs SRH	RPS lost	2016
4	Anil Kumble	5/5	3.1	RCB vs RR	RCB won	2009
5	Akash Madhwal	5/5	3.5	MI vs LSG	MI won	2023
6	Jasprit Bumrah	5/10	4	MI vs KKR	MI lost	2022
7	Mohit Sharma	5/10	4	GT vs MI	GT won	2023
8	Ishant Sharma	5/12	3.5	DC vs KTK	DC won	2011
9	Lasith Malinga	5/13	4	MI vs Delhi	MI won	2011
10	Ankit Rajpoot	5/14	4	PBKS vs SRH	PBKS lost	2018

4 Things This Table Does Not Tell You

Sohail Tanvir, with the best bowling figures in IPL history, was the IPL record holder for 11 years. He had participated in a single season of IPL.

In the first season of IPL in 2008, Tanvir scored 6/14. In 11 matches that year, he claimed 22 wickets, which earned him the Purple Cap. At that, the Pakistan players were not allowed to play in the IPL. He never played another season. One year. One record. No one has touched it in 11 years. It is a special place in the history of cricket.

Adam Zampa got 6 wickets, and his team lost. The sole 6-wicket haul in a losing cause in IPL history.

In 2016, Zampa made 6/19 against SRH for Rising Pune Supergiants. His crew pursued 138 and missed. He is the only bowler in IPL history to have 6 wickets and lose the match. The stat appears magnificent on its own. The situation of the match is a whole other story.

The 5/10 by Bumrah was in a match that the Mumbai Indians lost. Best figures. Wrong result.

Bumrah recorded one of the best T20 spells of all time on May 6, 2022. KKR had a target of 162 to win. Bumrah had 5 wickets off 10 runs in 4 overs. At one time, KKR were 101/9. They were able to get 108. MI needed 53 more runs from the last wicket pair. They failed to get them. Mumbai lost by half a run. Bumrah has numbers that are ranked fourth in this list. His team went home.

The figures of 5/5 are divided between two bowlers. One was a legend at the end of his career. One was an unrecognised player who was playing his first IPL.

In 2009, when he was 38 years old, Anil Kumble achieved 5/5, one of his last competitive seasons. It was in his 8th IPL match ever that Akash Madhwal hit 5/5 in the 2023 playoffs. Same figures. 14 years apart. One was a goodbye to a great. One was an introduction that the game never expected to see.

The Only Three Bowlers to Take 6 Wickets in an IPL Innings

Joseph. Tanvir. Zampa. This is the list as a whole. In 18 seasons. Across 1,000 plus matches.

What is more impressive is who is not on that list. Bumrah, Malinga, Chahal, Narine, Ashwin. None of them ever had 6 wickets in an IPL innings. Those three bowlers who are not the three names that would be guessed by people.

Joseph had one brilliant IPL season and then faded out of franchise cricket. Tanvir was a one-season player. Zampa played a handful of matches. The six-wicket club is a club of bowlers who were only there at a point in time and made the most of it.

Will 6/12 Ever Be Beaten?

To beat Joseph’s record, a bowler needs 7 wickets in 4 overs. And that has never been the case in T20 cricket history at the top level.

The path of the most probable record-breaking is a bowler who takes 6 wickets with a lesser number of runs. 6/10 or 6/8 would do better on economy and equal Joseph on wickets, best bowling figures in IPL history. That involves bowling under conditions that provide movement or turn, against a lower-order batting lineup, and no dropped catches.

It is possible. The conditions exist in early morning matches at venues like Chepauk or Eden Gardens. But in 18 seasons, it has not happened. The record is safe for now.

FAQs - Best Bowling Figures in IPL History

Who has the best bowling figures in IPL history?

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for the best bowling figures in IPL history with 6/12 for the Mumbai Indians against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.

How many bowlers have taken 6 wickets in an IPL match?

Only three bowlers have taken 6 wickets in an IPL innings:

Alzarri Joseph
Sohail Tanvir
Adam Zampa

Who was the first bowler to take a 6-wicket haul in IPL?

Sohail Tanvir was the first player to achieve this milestone with 6/14 for the Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural IPL season (2008).

Has any bowler taken 6 wickets and still lost the match in IPL?

Yes, Adam Zampa is the only bowler in IPL history to take 6 wickets (6/19) and still end up on the losing side while playing for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016.

What is the best 5-wicket haul in IPL history?

The best 5-wicket figures in IPL are 5/5, achieved by:

Anil Kumble (2009)
Akash Madhwal (2023)

How rare is a 5-wicket haul in IPL?

Five-wicket hauls are extremely rare in IPL. Out of 1100+ matches, only 37 five-wicket hauls have been recorded – roughly one in every 30 matches.

Has any famous bowler like Bumrah or Malinga taken 6 wickets in IPL?

No, legendary bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga have never taken 6 wickets in a single IPL match.

What is the best bowling performance in a losing cause in IPL?

One of the most notable performances is by Jasprit Bumrah, who took 5/10 for the Mumbai Indians in 2022, but his team still lost the match.

Can Alzarri Joseph’s 6/12 record be broken?

Breaking 6/12 would likely require either 7 wickets in a match or a more economical 6-wicket spell like 6/10 or 6/8. While possible, it hasn’t happened in 18 IPL seasons, making the record very difficult to surpass.

Which venues are most favorable for record-breaking bowling spells in IPL?

Spin-friendly and low-scoring venues like the MA Chidambaram Stadium and Eden Gardens are considered ideal for exceptional bowling performances.