IPL Best Bowling Average: Top 5 Best Bowling Averages in IPL History

Lungi Ngidi has the best bowling average in IPL history among bowlers with at least 20 appearances, averaging 20.69 runs per wicket through IPL 2026. Imran Tahir follows at 20.77, while Adam Zampa, Lasith Malinga and R Sai Kishore complete the top five.

Bowling average measures how many runs a bowler concedes for each wicket taken. Unlike economy rate, which focuses on runs per over, bowling average rewards bowlers who take wickets without conceding too many runs.

For this ranking, a minimum of 20 IPL appearances is used. This prevents players with only a handful of matches from dominating the list because of a very small sample.

Top 5 Best Bowling Averages in IPL History

Only 0.43 runs per wicket separate first-placed Ngidi from fifth-placed Sai Kishore.

Lasith Malinga stands out because he maintained an average close to 21 across more than 100 IPL matches and 140 wickets, a much larger sample than several players around him.

1. Lungi Ngidi – Bowling Average 20.69

Lungi Ngidi has the best IPL bowling average among players with at least 20 appearances, taking 42 wickets at 20.69 runs per wicket.

Ngidi has represented Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals during his IPL career.

His strongest quality in this record is wicket-taking frequency. A strike rate below 15 means he has taken a wicket roughly once every 15 balls across his IPL career.

That ability keeps his average under 21 despite operating as a fast bowler in a tournament where scoring rates have increased significantly.

What Does Lungi Ngidi's 20.69 Bowling Average Mean?

A bowling average of 20.69 means Ngidi has conceded approximately 20.69 runs for every IPL wicket he has taken.

Bowling average is calculated using:

Bowling Average = Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets Taken

For Ngidi:

869 ÷ 42 = 20.69

A lower figure is better.

This is different from bowling economy, which measures runs conceded per over.

2. Imran Tahir – Bowling Average 20.77

Imran Tahir finished his IPL career with 82 wickets at an average of 20.77.

He has one of the strongest combinations of wicket volume and low average among the bowlers at the top of this list.

Tahir played for Delhi, Rising Pune Supergiant and Chennai Super Kings.

His leg-spin was particularly effective through the middle overs, where he regularly attacked rather than simply trying to contain batters.

Tahir's ability to take wickets while maintaining an economy below eight helped him stay just behind Ngidi on the all-time bowling average list.

Imran Tahir's Purple Cap Season

Tahir's strongest IPL campaign came in 2019, when he took 26 wickets for Chennai Super Kings.

He won the Purple Cap and became one of the oldest players to finish an IPL season as its leading wicket-taker.

That season also strengthened the long-term numbers that leave him with 82 wickets at an average of 20.77.

3. Adam Zampa – Bowling Average 21.03

Adam Zampa has taken 31 IPL wickets at a bowling average of 21.03.

The Australian leg-spinner also owns one of the greatest individual bowling performances in IPL history.

Zampa's 6/19 for Rising Pune Supergiant against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 remains the best IPL bowling figures by a spinner and one of only three six-wicket hauls in league history.

His IPL career sample is smaller than Tahir's or Malinga's, but a 31-wicket minimum across more than 20 matches gives enough volume for a meaningful comparison.

Adam Zampa's 6/19

Zampa's most memorable IPL spell came against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam.

He took:

6 wickets for 19 runs

The spell put him alongside Sohail Tanvir among the very few bowlers at that time to take six wickets in an IPL innings.

Alzarri Joseph later set the overall IPL record with 6/12 in 2019.

Zampa's ability to take wickets in clusters is reflected in his career strike rate of just over 15 balls per wicket.

4. Lasith Malinga – Bowling Average 21.06

Lasith Malinga took 142 IPL wickets at an average of 21.06 across 106 matches.

Among the top five, Malinga has comfortably the largest number of matches and wickets.

Malinga spent his entire IPL playing career with Mumbai Indians.

His numbers are especially impressive because he bowled regularly at the death, where batters attack more aggressively and the risk of conceding boundaries is much higher.

Despite that role, Malinga finished with an economy rate around 7.35 and an average barely above 21.

Lasith Malinga's Best IPL Bowling Figures

Malinga's best IPL figures were 5/13 against Delhi Daredevils in 2011.

His yorkers, slower balls and unusual action made him one of the hardest bowlers to attack during the early IPL era.

Malinga later played a decisive role in several Mumbai Indians title campaigns.

His final delivery in the 2019 IPL final dismissed Shardul Thakur and secured a one-run victory over Chennai Super Kings.

Why Malinga's Bowling Average Stands Out

Malinga has a much larger statistical sample than Ngidi, Zampa or Sai Kishore.

Compare their wicket totals:

Maintaining almost the same average across 142 wickets makes Malinga one of the strongest sustained bowling performers in IPL history.

5. R Sai Kishore – Bowling Average 21.12

R Sai Kishore completes the top five with 33 IPL wickets at an average of 21.12.

Sai Kishore's economy rate is higher than those of Tahir and Malinga, but his strike rate is excellent.

He takes a wicket approximately every 14 balls, which keeps his bowling average low.

This is a useful example of why bowling average and economy rate measure different parts of bowling performance.

A bowler can concede runs relatively quickly but still maintain an excellent average if wickets arrive frequently.

What Is Bowling Average in IPL?

Bowling average tells us how many runs a bowler concedes for every wicket taken.

The formula is:

Bowling Average = Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets Taken

For example, if a bowler concedes 500 runs and takes 25 wickets:

500 ÷ 25 = 20

His bowling average is 20.00.

Lower numbers are better.

A bowler averaging 20 is taking wickets more cheaply than a bowler averaging 30.

Bowling Average vs Economy Rate

Bowling average and economy rate are often confused, but they measure different things.

Consider a bowler who gives away runs quickly but takes wickets every two overs.

His economy rate may be high, but his bowling average can still be strong.

A defensive bowler may concede very few runs but take fewer wickets. That player could have an excellent economy rate but a higher bowling average.

Best IPL Bowling Average With 50+ Wickets

Using a higher qualification gives more weight to bowlers who sustained their performance across several seasons.

Among bowlers with at least 50 IPL wickets, Imran Tahir becomes particularly prominent because Ngidi, Zampa and Sai Kishore remain below 50 wickets.

Lasith Malinga also stands out with:

• 142 wickets
• Average of 21.06
• Economy of 7.35

Other high-volume wicket-takers such as Yuzvendra Chahal and Sunil Narine have also maintained strong career averages while collecting well over 150 wickets.

A higher wicket requirement reduces the impact of short IPL careers.

Best Bowling Average Among Bowlers With 100+ Wickets

For bowlers with more than 100 wickets, the comparison becomes even more demanding.

Lasith Malinga's average of 21.06 from 142 wickets makes his record especially strong.

Yuzvendra Chahal has moved past 230 IPL wickets through 2026 but has an average above 23.

Sunil Narine has crossed 200 wickets with an average in the mid-20s.

Malinga therefore remains one of the clearest examples of a bowler combining 100-plus wickets with an exceptionally low career average.

Most Wickets vs Best Bowling Average

The bowler with the most wickets does not necessarily have the best bowling average.

Yuzvendra Chahal leads the all-time IPL wicket table with 233 wickets in the current 2026 records.

His bowling average is 23.10.

Lungi Ngidi has only 42 wickets but averages 20.69.

Chahal leads for wicket volume, while Ngidi leads the qualified average list used here.

Lasith Malinga vs Yuzvendra Chahal Bowling Average

Malinga and Chahal are useful examples of two different IPL bowling records.

Chahal has taken far more wickets.

Malinga has the lower bowling average and economy rate.

Both statistics describe different elements of their IPL careers.

Best Bowling Average in a Single IPL Season

Career bowling average should also be separated from a single-season record.

A bowler can produce an exceptional average over 14 or 15 matches without maintaining the same rate over an entire career.

For example, Harshal Patel took 32 wickets at an average of 14.34 in IPL 2021, one of the strongest high-volume bowling seasons in league history.

Dwayne Bravo took 32 wickets at an average of 15.53 in 2013, while Kagiso Rabada took 30 wickets at 18.27 in 2020.

These are season records rather than career-average rankings.

Why a Minimum Qualification Is Needed

Without a minimum qualification, bowling-average records can become misleading.

Sohail Tanvir is a good example.

He took 22 wickets for 266 runs in IPL 2008, giving him an extraordinary career average of 12.09.

However, Tanvir played only 11 IPL matches because Pakistani players did not return to the league after the inaugural season.

His average is therefore far lower than the names in the main table, but his sample does not meet the 20-match qualification used for this article.

If no minimum-match condition is applied, Tanvir would sit above the main qualified list.

Using 20 appearances creates a more useful comparison between bowlers with longer IPL records.

Who Has the Best Bowling Average in IPL History?

The answer depends on the qualification.

With a minimum of 20 IPL appearances, Lungi Ngidi leads with an average of 20.69.

If no meaningful minimum-match requirement is applied, players with shorter careers can record lower averages.

Sohail Tanvir, for example, averaged 12.09 from 11 matches and 22 wickets.

For long-term careers with 100 or more wickets, Lasith Malinga's 21.06 from 142 wickets remains one of the strongest bowling averages in IPL history.

FAQs

Who has the best bowling average in IPL history?

With a minimum qualification of 20 IPL appearances, Lungi Ngidi has the best bowling average at 20.69, with 42 wickets.

What is Lasith Malinga's IPL bowling average?

Lasith Malinga took 142 wickets at a career bowling average of 21.06.

What is Imran Tahir's IPL bowling average?

Imran Tahir took 82 IPL wickets at an average of 20.77.

Who has the best IPL bowling average with 100+ wickets?

Lasith Malinga is one of the leading qualified bowlers, taking 142 wickets at an average of 21.06.

What is Yuzvendra Chahal's IPL bowling average?

Yuzvendra Chahal has 233 wickets at an average of 23.10 in the updated 2026 IPL records.

What is a good bowling average in IPL?

An IPL career bowling average close to or below 25 runs per wicket is strong, while an average near 20 across a meaningful number of matches is exceptional.

How is bowling average calculated in IPL?

Divide the total runs conceded by the number of wickets taken. A bowler conceding 800 runs for 40 wickets has an average of 20.00.

Why is Sohail Tanvir not first in the main table?

Sohail Tanvir averaged only 12.09, but he played just 11 IPL matches. The main ranking in this article uses a minimum of 20 appearances to avoid very small career samples.

Sources

• IPL.com – Best Bowling Average in IPL History
  View IPL bowling average records
• IPL.com – Most Wickets in IPL History
  View IPL all-time wicket records