Top 5 Bowlers with the Maximum Number of Maidens in IPL History

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar share the record for the maximum number of maidens in IPL history, with 14 maiden overs each. Trent Boult follows with 11, while Irfan Pathan bowled 10 during his IPL career. Four bowlers are tied on eight maidens for the next position: Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and Sandeep Sharma.

Bowling a maiden over in the Indian Premier League is rare because a bowler gets only four overs in a standard T20 innings and usually operates against batters looking to score from almost every delivery. The leading names in this record are dominated by fast and swing bowlers who regularly operated with the new ball.

Most Maiden Overs in IPL History

The most maiden overs in IPL history record is jointly held by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar. Bhuvneshwar reached 14 during his long IPL career, matching the record Praveen had established before retiring. Trent Boult is the leading overseas bowler among the top positions with 11 maidens.

The fifth position is shared rather than owned by a single bowler. Dhawal Kulkarni, Bumrah, Malinga and Sandeep have all bowled eight maidens, so leaving three of them out would give an incomplete picture of the record.

1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 14 Maiden Overs

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 14 maiden overs in the IPL, putting him joint first on the all-time list. His IPL career has included spells for Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Bhuvneshwar's place at the top fits his role throughout much of his IPL career. He has frequently bowled with the new ball, when swing and accurate lengths can make scoring difficult even during the powerplay.

His total had already reached 14 before the 2026 season, bringing him level with Praveen Kumar. India Today listed Bhuvneshwar on 14 maidens heading into IPL 2025, while updated 2026 lists continue to place him at the top.

Among active bowlers near the top of the list, Bhuvneshwar's record remains the benchmark.

2. Praveen Kumar: 14 Maiden Overs

Praveen Kumar also bowled 14 maiden overs in the IPL, completing them across 119 innings between 2008 and 2017. He represented several franchises, including Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Lions.

Praveen held the outright record before Bhuvneshwar caught him. His bowling was built around movement with the new ball rather than express pace, making the opening overs his strongest phase.

He completed those 14 maidens in fewer innings than Bhuvneshwar has now played. The record has therefore survived long after Praveen's final IPL season in 2017.

3. Trent Boult: 11 Maiden Overs

Trent Boult has bowled 11 maiden overs in the IPL, the highest total by an overseas bowler among the current leaders. His IPL career has included appearances for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

Boult's position is closely linked with his work in the powerplay. The left-arm fast bowler has regularly taken the new ball and attacked right-handed batters with movement back into them as well as deliveries going across the bat.

He entered 2026 with 11 IPL maidens and remained three behind the joint leaders.

Boult is also the only overseas bowler inside the top four positions.

4. Irfan Pathan: 10 Maiden Overs

Irfan Pathan bowled 10 maiden overs in 101 IPL bowling innings between 2008 and 2017. He sits fourth in the all-time ranking and is the only bowler outside the top three to reach double figures.

Pathan represented multiple IPL teams during his career, including Kings XI Punjab, Delhi, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions.

Like Praveen and Bhuvneshwar, Pathan's ability to move the new ball gave him opportunities to attack during the opening overs rather than simply defend against scoring.

His 10 maidens remain one more than any bowler outside the top four positions.

5. Four Bowlers Share Fifth Place With 8 Maidens

The fifth-highest total is eight maiden overs, shared by Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and Sandeep Sharma. Updated IPL records place all four on the same tally.

Dhawal Kulkarni

Dhawal Kulkarni bowled eight maiden overs in 92 IPL innings. He played for Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Lions during a career that ran from 2008 to 2021.

His eight maidens were enough to keep him level with some of the most successful fast bowlers in IPL history.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah has also bowled eight IPL maidens.

Unlike Kulkarni and Malinga, Bumrah's IPL record extends into the 2026 season. Updated statistics list him alongside the other bowlers tied on eight.

Bumrah has spent his entire IPL career with Mumbai Indians and has bowled in both powerplay and death-over roles.

Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga completed eight maiden overs during his IPL career with Mumbai Indians.

The Sri Lankan fast bowler played 122 IPL matches and finished his career with 170 wickets, according to widely used IPL career records.

His place in this particular list came despite much of his reputation being built around bowling at the death, where maiden overs are especially difficult.

Sandeep Sharma

Sandeep Sharma is the fourth bowler tied on eight maidens.

His IPL career has included Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, with much of his bowling coming during the powerplay. Updated 2026 records list him with eight maiden overs.

Why Are Maiden Overs So Rare in the IPL?

A maiden over is an over in which the batting side scores no runs that count against the bowler.

In a T20 innings, a frontline bowler can deliver a maximum of four overs. Losing one complete over without adding runs can immediately increase pressure on the batting side, particularly during the six-over powerplay or late in an innings.

The IPL's leading maiden-over bowlers share several characteristics:

• Regular use of the new ball
• Ability to swing or seam the ball
• Strong control of line and length
• Experience bowling during the powerplay
• Ability to attack without offering easy boundary balls

The top four names in the all-time ranking are all pace or swing bowlers: Bhuvneshwar, Praveen, Boult and Irfan.

Most Maiden Overs by an Overseas Bowler in IPL

Trent Boult holds the highest maiden-over tally among overseas bowlers in IPL history, with 11.

Lasith Malinga is next among the prominent overseas fast bowlers on this list with eight.

Boult's total also places him third overall behind the two joint record holders.

How the IPL Maiden Overs Record Changed

Praveen Kumar established the benchmark with 14 maiden overs during a career that ended in 2017.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar gradually closed the gap. Historical records listed him on 12 maidens by the early 2020s, before he later reached 14 and joined Praveen at the top.

Trent Boult remains on 11, followed by Irfan Pathan on 10.

As of the end of IPL 2026, no bowler has moved beyond 14 maidens in the tournament's history.

Who Could Move Higher on the List?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar already shares the record at 14 and remains the most prominent active name at the top of the list.

Trent Boult sits three maidens behind the record on 11, while Jasprit Bumrah and Sandeep Sharma are part of the eight-maiden group.

A future maiden from any active bowler can change the order, particularly among the players tied lower down, but reaching the 14-maiden mark requires sustained control across many IPL seasons.

FAQs

Who has bowled the most maiden overs in IPL history?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar share the record with 14 maiden overs each. Bhuvneshwar reached the mark during his active IPL career, while Praveen completed 14 before retiring.

Which overseas bowler has bowled the most maidens in IPL?

Trent Boult leads overseas bowlers with 11 maiden overs. He ranks behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Praveen Kumar on the overall list.

How many maiden overs has Jasprit Bumrah bowled in IPL?

Jasprit Bumrah has bowled eight maiden overs in the IPL. He shares that tally with Dhawal Kulkarni, Lasith Malinga and Sandeep Sharma.

How many maiden overs did Irfan Pathan bowl in IPL?

Irfan Pathan bowled 10 maiden overs in 101 IPL innings. He ranks fourth on the all-time list.

What is a maiden over in cricket?

A maiden over is an over in which no runs chargeable to the bowler are scored. In the IPL, completing one is particularly difficult because bowlers operate in a T20 format where batters are constantly looking to score.

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