Best Bowling Figures in IPL History

Alzarri Joseph holds the record for the best bowling figures in IPL history with 6/12 for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019. Sohail Tanvir is second with 6/14 for Rajasthan Royals in 2008, while Adam Zampa is third with 6/19 for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016. These are the only three six-wicket hauls among the leading all-time IPL bowling performances.

Anil Kumble and Akash Madhwal follow with identical figures of 5/5. Kumble produced his spell for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009, while Madhwal matched the wickets and runs for Mumbai Indians in the 2023 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants.

Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in IPL History

The top three places are occupied by six-wicket hauls. From fourth place onward, the ranking moves into five-wicket spells, with runs conceded deciding the order between bowlers who took the same number of wickets.

1. Alzarri Joseph: 6/12 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2019

Alzarri Joseph's 6/12 remains the best bowling performance in IPL history. The West Indies fast bowler produced the spell on his Mumbai Indians debut against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.

Mumbai Indians had made only 136/7, leaving their bowlers with little room for error.

Joseph struck with his first delivery by dismissing David Warner and continued to attack throughout the chase. He eventually finished with six wickets for 12 runs as Sunrisers Hyderabad were bowled out for 96.

His spell broke Sohail Tanvir's long-standing 6/14 record, which had survived from the inaugural IPL season in 2008 until 2019.

2. Sohail Tanvir: 6/14 vs Chennai Super Kings, 2008

Sohail Tanvir recorded 6/14 for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur during IPL 2008. His figures were the best in the league for more than a decade before Joseph moved ahead in 2019.

Tanvir struck with the first ball of the match, removing Parthiv Patel. He then dismissed Stephen Fleming and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan early as Chennai slipped to 11/3.

He returned later to take the final three wickets and completed his six-wicket haul.

Chennai Super Kings were bowled out for 109, and Rajasthan Royals chased the target comfortably. Tanvir's 6/14 helped establish him as one of the key bowlers of Rajasthan's title-winning 2008 season.

3. Adam Zampa: 6/19 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2016

Adam Zampa became the first spinner to take six wickets in an IPL innings when he claimed 6/19 for Rising Pune Supergiant against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.

Before Zampa's spell, only Sohail Tanvir had taken six wickets in an IPL innings.

Zampa's leg-spin produced six wickets for just 19 runs, placing him third on the all-time list behind Joseph and Tanvir.

His performance remains the best six-wicket return by a spinner among the leading IPL records.

4. Anil Kumble: 5/5 vs Rajasthan Royals, 2009

Anil Kumble's 5/5 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Rajasthan Royals in 2009 remains one of the most economical five-wicket spells in IPL history.

Kumble conceded only five runs while taking five wickets.

RCB went on to win the match by 75 runs, giving Kumble one of the most remarkable bowling returns produced by an Indian spinner in the tournament.

The 5/5 remained the best IPL figures by an Indian bowler until Akash Madhwal matched the wickets and runs in 2023.

5. Akash Madhwal: 5/5 vs Lucknow Super Giants, 2023

Akash Madhwal matched Kumble's 5/5 in the 2023 IPL Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, producing the best bowling spell of his IPL career on a knockout night.

Mumbai Indians had posted 182/8 before Madhwal dismantled Lucknow's chase.

He removed Prerak Mankad, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi and Mohsin Khan as LSG collapsed for 101. Mumbai won by 81 runs and advanced to Qualifier 2.

The spell remains one of the strongest bowling performances ever produced in an IPL playoff.

6. Jasprit Bumrah: 5/10 vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2022

Jasprit Bumrah returned 5/10 for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022.

His five wickets came for only 10 runs, placing him ahead of several other five-wicket spells on the all-time list because of the low number of runs conceded.

Bumrah's spell remains his best IPL innings return and one of Mumbai Indians' finest individual bowling performances.

7. Mohit Sharma: 5/10 vs Mumbai Indians, 2023

Mohit Sharma also recorded figures of 5/10, doing so for Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians in the 2023 IPL playoffs.

His spell came in Qualifier 2, making it another knockout performance among the top entries on the all-time list.

Mohit and Bumrah have identical figures, but both remain behind the 5/5 spells of Kumble and Madhwal.

8. Ishant Sharma: 5/12 vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala, 2011

Ishant Sharma took 5/12 for Deccan Chargers against Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011.

The spell was once listed among the best figures by an Indian bowler in IPL history, behind only Kumble at the time.

Ishant's 5/12 remains ahead of several later five-wicket hauls because he conceded fewer runs.

9. Lasith Malinga: 5/13 vs Delhi Daredevils, 2011

Lasith Malinga's 5/13 against Delhi Daredevils came during IPL 2011 and remains one of the finest spells delivered by an overseas fast bowler in the competition.

Malinga's yorkers and pace made him one of the most dangerous bowlers of the early IPL era.

His 5/13 still sits inside the all-time top ten even after many seasons of high-level bowling performances.

10. Ankit Rajpoot: 5/14 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2018

Ankit Rajpoot took 5/14 for Kings XI Punjab against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018.

The IPL's official statistical review at the time identified it as the best bowling performance by an uncapped Indian player, moving past Ajit Chandila's 4/13.

Rajpoot became the first uncapped Indian bowler to take an IPL five-wicket haul with figures good enough to enter the all-time top ten.

Best Bowling Figures by an Indian in IPL History

Anil Kumble and Akash Madhwal share the best bowling figures by an Indian in IPL history with 5/5.

Kumble set the benchmark in 2009. Madhwal matched it 14 years later in an Eliminator, while Bumrah and Mohit follow with 5/10.

Best Bowling Figures by an Overseas Player in IPL

Alzarri Joseph leads all overseas players with 6/12.

Sohail Tanvir and Adam Zampa complete the three overseas six-wicket hauls at the top of the all-time list.

Joseph's 6/12 remains the overall IPL record, not just the best by an overseas player.

Most Wickets Taken in a Single IPL Innings

The maximum number of wickets taken by one bowler in an IPL innings is six.

Only three bowlers in the leading all-time records have reached that mark:

• Alzarri Joseph – 6/12
• Sohail Tanvir – 6/14
• Adam Zampa – 6/19

No bowler has taken seven wickets in a single IPL innings through the end of the 2026 season.

Best Bowling Figures in IPL 2026

The best individual bowling performance of IPL 2026 came from Mohsin Khan, who took 5/23 for Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Mohsin's five-wicket haul was the only five-for listed among the leading IPL 2026 bowling returns. It did not threaten Joseph's all-time 6/12 record.

How the IPL Bowling Record Changed

Sohail Tanvir set the first major benchmark when he took 6/14 in 2008.

That record survived until 6 April 2019, when Alzarri Joseph took 6/12 on his Mumbai Indians debut and moved past Tanvir by two runs.

Adam Zampa had joined Tanvir as a six-wicket bowler in 2016, but his 6/19 left him behind Tanvir because he conceded five more runs.

Joseph's 6/12 remained unbeaten through IPL 2026.

Best IPL Bowlers: Bowling Figures, Wickets and Records

Bowling figures record wickets taken and runs conceded in a single innings.

A spell of 5/5 means the bowler took five wickets while conceding only five runs. When bowlers take the same number of wickets, fewer runs conceded produce the better figures.

That is why Kumble's 5/5 and Madhwal's 5/5 rank above Bumrah's 5/10, even though all three took five wickets.

Six-wicket hauls sit above every five-wicket spell because wickets take priority when comparing standard bowling figures.

FAQs

Who has the best bowling figures in IPL history?

Alzarri Joseph holds the record with 6/12 for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019. He broke Sohail Tanvir's previous record of 6/14.

Who has taken six wickets in an IPL match?

Alzarri Joseph, Sohail Tanvir and Adam Zampa have all recorded six-wicket hauls among the leading IPL records. Their figures are 6/12, 6/14 and 6/19 respectively.

What are the best IPL bowling figures by an Indian?

Anil Kumble and Akash Madhwal share the Indian record with 5/5. Kumble achieved it in 2009, while Madhwal matched it in the 2023 Eliminator.

What were the best bowling figures in IPL 2026?

Mohsin Khan recorded the best IPL 2026 figures with 5/23 for Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Has anyone taken seven wickets in an IPL innings?

No. The best IPL innings bowling record remains 6/12 by Alzarri Joseph, with no seven-wicket haul recorded through IPL 2026.

Related IPL Records

• Most Wickets in IPL History
• Top 5 Bowlers With Most Maiden Overs in IPL History
• Most Dot Balls in IPL History
• IPL Purple Cap Winners List
• Best Economy Rate in IPL History

Sources

• IPL official match report: Alzarri Joseph 6/12 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2019.
• IPL official statistics: Adam Zampa 6/19 and six-wicket record context.
• IPL official match report: Akash Madhwal 5/5 vs Lucknow Super Giants, 2023 Eliminator.
• IPL official statistics: Anil Kumble 5/5 and leading Indian bowling figures.
• IPL official 2026 record: Mohsin Khan 5/23.
• Wisden record feature: Sohail Tanvir 6/14 vs Chennai Super Kings, 2008.
• Updated all-time IPL bowling figures list.