Karn Sharma IPL Stats

Karn Sharma has been one of the most experienced Indian leg-spinners in IPL history. Known for his attacking leg-breaks, quicker variations and ability to contribute useful runs down the order, Karn built a long IPL career across several franchises. He represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, while also becoming part of multiple championship-winning squads.

His career stands out not only because of his wicket tally but also because of the teams he represented during successful seasons. Karn was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 2016 title-winning squad, Mumbai Indians’ 2017 championship side and Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning squads in 2018 and 2021.

Through his IPL career, Karn played 90 matches and took 83 wickets at an economy rate of 8.38. His best bowling figures were 4/16, while he also scored 352 runs with a highest score of 39 not out. Although he was primarily selected for his leg-spin, his lower-order batting occasionally gave teams useful extra depth.

Karn Sharma IPL Career Overview

Karn Sharma’s IPL journey began with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009. He played only one match during that first spell and had very little opportunity to establish himself.

His career changed after joining Sunrisers Hyderabad.

From 2013 onward, Karn became a regular member of the SRH bowling attack. His ability to bowl attacking leg-spin through the middle overs made him a useful wicket-taking option.

He took 11 wickets in 2013 and followed that with 15 wickets in 2014, one of the strongest seasons of his IPL career.

Karn continued with Hyderabad through 2016 and was part of the squad that won the IPL title that season.

Mumbai Indians signed him for 2017.

That move produced another major chapter in his career. Karn took 13 wickets in nine matches and played an important role in Mumbai’s title-winning campaign.

He then moved to Chennai Super Kings.

CSK signed him before the 2018 season, and Karn remained part of the franchise for several years. He did not always feature regularly because Chennai had several spin options, but he was part of championship squads in 2018 and 2021.

Karn later returned to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and enjoyed a productive 2023 season before moving back to Mumbai Indians for 2025.

By the end of his IPL career, he had played 90 matches across four franchises.

Karn Sharma Season-by-Season IPL Stats

The table shows that Karn’s strongest wicket-taking seasons came during his years with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians.

His 2014 season produced 15 wickets, while he took 13 wickets during Mumbai’s title-winning 2017 campaign.

His return to RCB also produced 10 wickets from only seven matches in 2023.

Karn Sharma Overall IPL Bowling Stats

Karn finished his IPL career with 83 wickets from 87 bowling innings.

He bowled 264.1 overs and conceded 2,215 runs.

His career bowling average was approximately 26.7, while his strike rate was close to 19 balls per wicket.

His overall economy rate stood at 8.38 runs per over.

For a leg-spinner who played across several different IPL eras, that record reflects a long period of usefulness.

Modern IPL batting became increasingly aggressive during the later stages of his career, making economy control much harder for spinners.

Karn’s best bowling figures were 4/16.

He recorded two four-wicket hauls during his IPL career but never took a five-wicket haul.

Best Bowling Figures of 4/16

Karn’s finest IPL spell came for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017.

He took 4/16 and played a major role in restricting Kolkata during a crucial playoff match.

The performance came in Qualifier 2, giving the spell extra importance.

Mumbai bowled Kolkata out for only 107.

Karn dismissed several key batters and helped MI secure a comfortable victory before they went on to defeat Rising Pune Supergiant in the final.

That 4/16 remains Karn’s best IPL bowling performance.

15 Wickets in 2014

Karn’s most productive season by total wickets came for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014.

He took 15 wickets in 14 matches.

His economy rate of 7.42 was also impressive for a wrist-spinner.

Karn regularly bowled through the middle overs, where his task was to break partnerships and prevent batters from settling.

His performances during that period helped establish him as one of the more reliable Indian leg-spinners in the competition.

Karn Sharma IPL Teams

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Karn’s IPL journey began with RCB in 2009.

He played only one match during his first spell and did not get a proper chance to build a role.

More than a decade later, he returned to Bengaluru.

RCB bought him before the 2022 season, although he did not play a match that year.

His opportunities increased in 2023.

Karn played seven matches and took 10 wickets, making it one of the most productive seasons of his later career.

He remained with RCB in 2024 and took seven wickets from nine appearances.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Karn’s most important development period came at Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He represented SRH from 2013 to 2016.

During those four seasons, he took 36 wickets.

The 2013 and 2014 campaigns were especially strong.

He took 11 wickets in 2013 before improving to 15 in 2014.

Although he went wicketless in his limited opportunities during 2016, he was part of the SRH squad that went on to win the title by defeating RCB in the final.

That championship was the first IPL trophy of Karn’s career.

Mumbai Indians

Karn moved to Mumbai Indians for the 2017 season and immediately made an impact.

He took 13 wickets from nine matches at an economy rate below seven.

His 4/16 against Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 was one of the most important spells of Mumbai’s entire season.

MI went on to win the championship, giving Karn consecutive IPL titles after his success with SRH in 2016.

Karn returned to Mumbai for the 2025 season.

He played six matches and took seven wickets, including 3/23 against Rajasthan Royals.

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings signed Karn before the 2018 season.

Competition for spin-bowling places was strong because CSK also had players such as Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir and Harbhajan Singh during different stages.

Karn played six matches in 2018 and took four wickets.

CSK won the IPL title that season, giving him a remarkable third championship in three consecutive editions: SRH in 2016, MI in 2017 and CSK in 2018.

He remained with Chennai through 2021.

Although he did not play a match in the 2021 season, he was part of the CSK squad that won another IPL title.

That gave him four championship-winning squad appearances across three franchises.

Karn Sharma Batting Contributions

Karn was primarily a bowler, but he could also bat left-handed in the lower order.

He scored 352 IPL runs from 41 innings.

His batting average was around 13.5, while his strike rate was approximately 119.

His highest IPL score was 39 not out.

Karn never scored a fifty or century in the IPL.

That was not his primary role.

Teams generally used him between No. 8 and No. 10, where his job was to add quick runs if required.

His strongest batting season came with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2015.

He scored 104 runs that year, including a highest score of 32.

In 2013, he also contributed 85 runs and recorded his career-best unbeaten 39.

Karn was capable of hitting sixes as well. He finished his IPL career with 17 sixes and 20 fours.

Karn Sharma’s Best IPL Performances

4/16 vs Kolkata Knight Riders

The 2017 Qualifier 2 performance remains the biggest spell of Karn’s IPL career.

Mumbai needed to win to reach the final.

Karn responded by taking four wickets for only 16 runs.

His spell helped bowl KKR out for 107 and gave Mumbai control of the match.

4/38 for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Karn also recorded a four-wicket haul during the 2014 season.

His 4/38 came during his strongest individual wicket-taking campaign.

It demonstrated his ability to attack even when batters tried to score aggressively against him.

3/23 for Mumbai Indians

During his second spell with Mumbai Indians in 2025, Karn produced 3/23 against Rajasthan Royals.

Even late in his IPL career, he showed that his leg-spin could still create wickets in the middle overs.

10 Wickets for RCB in 2023

Karn’s return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru became another productive phase.

He took 10 wickets in only seven matches.

Although his economy rate was expensive at 10.37, his wicket-taking frequency showed why RCB continued using him as an attacking spinner.

Karn Sharma’s Strengths as a Leg-Spinner

Karn’s main strength was his willingness to attack the stumps and look for wickets.

He did not rely entirely on defensive bowling.

His leg-break remained his main delivery, but he also used quicker balls and variations in pace to stop batters from setting themselves.

Another strength was experience.

Karn played with several successful IPL franchises and worked under captains such as David Warner, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

That exposure helped him understand different match situations.

He could bowl when a partnership needed breaking or when teams required a spinner to take risks during the middle overs.

Karn was also comfortable bowling to aggressive batters.

That became increasingly important as IPL scoring rates rose.

Karn Sharma and IPL Titles

Karn Sharma has one of the most unusual title records among Indian IPL players.

He was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s championship squad in 2016.

He moved to Mumbai Indians the next year and won the 2017 title.

He then joined Chennai Super Kings and became part of their 2018 championship squad.

That meant he was associated with IPL-winning teams in three consecutive seasons and with three different franchises.

Karn was also in the CSK squad when Chennai won again in 2021.

His role differed from season to season, but being part of four title-winning squads underlines how frequently he was selected by successful franchises.

Karn Sharma IPL Career Summary

Karn Sharma finished with 90 IPL matches, 83 wickets and an economy rate of 8.38.

His bowling average was around 26.7, and his best figures were 4/16.

With the bat, he scored 352 runs and recorded a highest score of 39 not out.

He represented four IPL franchises: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

His strongest bowling years included 2014, when he took 15 wickets, and 2017, when he took 13 wickets and produced his career-best spell.

Karn’s IPL career was built more on versatility, experience and wicket-taking ability than headline individual awards.

His connection with several championship-winning squads also gave his career a distinctive place in IPL history.

FAQs

How many wickets did Karn Sharma take in the IPL?

Karn Sharma took 83 wickets from 90 IPL matches.

What are Karn Sharma’s best IPL bowling figures?

His best IPL bowling figures are 4/16, recorded for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017.

Which IPL teams did Karn Sharma play for?

He represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

How many IPL titles did Karn Sharma win?

Karn was part of four title-winning squads: SRH in 2016, MI in 2017, and CSK in 2018 and 2021.

How many IPL runs did Karn Sharma score?

He scored 352 runs in the IPL, with a highest score of 39 not out.

What was Karn Sharma’s IPL economy rate?

His career IPL economy rate was 8.38 runs per over.