Most Wickets Against Punjab Kings in IPL

Punjab Kings have faced some of the Indian Premier League’s finest bowlers since joining the competition as Kings XI Punjab in 2008. Over the years, players such as Sunil Narine, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have repeatedly troubled Punjab’s batting lineups. Through IPL 2026, Sunil Narine and Bhuvneshwar Kumar jointly hold the record for the most wickets against Punjab Kings in IPL history with 36 wickets each. Narine reached the mark through his long career with Kolkata Knight Riders, while Bhuvneshwar drew level after taking 2/38 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against PBKS in May 2026.

Most Wickets Against Punjab Kings in IPL History

The following table ranks the leading wicket-takers against Punjab Kings, including matches played when the franchise was known as Kings XI Punjab.

Narine’s 36 wickets against Punjab were an IPL record for the most wickets taken by a bowler against one opponent when he reached the mark. Bhuvneshwar joined him on 36 wickets during IPL 2026. Umesh Yadav remains immediately behind them with 35 wickets from 22 matches.

Sunil Narine – 36 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Sunil Narine has been one of Punjab Kings’ most difficult opponents for more than a decade.

The Kolkata Knight Riders spinner has taken 36 wickets against PBKS, with a bowling average close to 20 and an economy rate around seven runs per over. His best figures are 5/19.

Narine’s record is impressive because he has combined wicket-taking with run control. Punjab’s batters have often been forced to attack other KKR bowlers because scoring freely against Narine has been difficult.

His 5/19 came during IPL 2012. That season was also Narine’s first in the tournament, and his performances helped KKR win their first IPL championship.

Narine reached 36 wickets against Punjab during the 2025 season, moving past Umesh Yadav’s previous mark of 35 wickets against the franchise.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 36 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Bhuvneshwar Kumar joined Narine at the top of the list during IPL 2026.

Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Punjab Kings on May 17, 2026, Bhuvneshwar took 2/38. He dismissed Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh with the new ball, taking his career tally against Punjab to 36 wickets.

Bhuvneshwar’s best figures against Punjab are 5/19, recorded while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2017.

The spell remains one of the best bowling performances against Punjab Kings in IPL history.

Bhuvneshwar’s success has mainly come through swing with the new ball. During his best years with SRH, he regularly attacked Punjab’s openers before returning to bowl yorkers and slower deliveries in the final overs.

Unlike Narine, who has taken all his wickets against Punjab for one franchise, Bhuvneshwar has dismissed PBKS batters while representing Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and RCB.

Umesh Yadav – 35 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Umesh Yadav’s record against Punjab Kings is one of the most impressive opponent-specific bowling records in IPL history.

He has taken 35 wickets from 22 matches against Punjab at an average below 18 and an economy rate of 7.63.

His best figures are 4/23.

Umesh’s pace and ability to attack the stumps made him particularly effective against Punjab’s top order. He represented several IPL teams during his career, including Delhi, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

For a long period, Umesh held the record for the most IPL wickets against a single opponent. Narine eventually moved past his tally against Punjab.

Yuzvendra Chahal – 32 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Yuzvendra Chahal has taken 32 wickets against Punjab Kings from 21 matches.

His best figures against the franchise are 4/25, while his economy rate stands around 8.18.

Chahal’s record is notable because he regularly bowled in the middle overs when Punjab’s batters were looking to increase the scoring rate.

During his years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals, he repeatedly dismissed important Punjab batters with his flight, googly and ability to tempt players into attacking shots.

Chahal later joined Punjab Kings himself, which means he no longer had opportunities to add to his wicket tally against the franchise while representing PBKS.

Before joining Punjab, his 32 wickets made the Kings one of his most productive opponents.

Rashid Khan – Elite Economy Against Punjab

Rashid Khan combines an excellent wicket tally against Punjab with one of the best economy rates on this list.

The Afghanistan leg-spinner had 26 wickets against PBKS before the 2026 season and added two more in two meetings for Gujarat Titans in 2026, taking his tally to approximately 28.

He took 1/29 in New Chandigarh and 1/32 in Ahmedabad during the 2026 matches.

Rashid’s best IPL figures against Punjab are 3/12.

His economy against the franchise has remained close to the mid-six range over his career, significantly better than most high-volume wicket-takers.

Punjab’s batters have often struggled to read his googly, while Rashid’s pace through the air reduces the time available to adjust.

Dwayne Bravo – 26 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Dwayne Bravo took 26 wickets in 20 innings against Punjab Kings.

The West Indian all-rounder’s best figures against Punjab were 4/22, and his economy rate was approximately 8.21.

Bravo was particularly dangerous in the final overs. His slower balls, wide yorkers and changes of pace made him difficult to attack when Punjab were trying to accelerate.

Much of his success came while representing Chennai Super Kings.

Bravo’s opponent record against PBKS reflects the role that helped him finish his IPL career with 183 wickets and become one of the competition’s great death-over bowlers.

Jasprit Bumrah – 24 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Jasprit Bumrah has taken 24 wickets against Punjab Kings.

Before Mumbai Indians faced PBKS in April 2026, his record stood at 24 wickets from 18 matches at an outstanding average of 18.45 and an economy of 6.45.

Bumrah then played two matches against Punjab in IPL 2026 but went wicketless in both, conceding 41 runs at Wankhede and 35 runs in Dharamsala. His wicket total therefore remained at 24.

His best figures against PBKS are 3/15.

Bumrah’s economy is particularly impressive because he frequently bowls in the powerplay and at the death, the two phases where scoring rates are normally highest.

Ravichandran Ashwin – 22 Wickets Against Punjab Kings

Ravichandran Ashwin took 22 wickets against Punjab Kings during his IPL career.

His best figures against the franchise were 4/34, while he maintained an economy rate of approximately 7.48.

Ashwin represented Punjab Kings himself for part of his career, including captaining the franchise, so there were seasons when he obviously could not add to his opponent record.

When playing against Punjab for franchises such as Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals, his changes of pace, carrom ball and tactical use of the crease made him a difficult matchup.

Best Bowling Figures Against Punjab Kings in IPL

Several bowlers have recorded five-wicket hauls against Punjab.

Narine and Bhuvneshwar share the best bowling figures against Punjab Kings at 5/19. Munaf Patel’s 5/21 and Lakshmipathy Balaji’s 5/24 are the other five-wicket performances among the franchise’s most notable opponent bowling records.

Most Wickets Against Punjab Kings in IPL: Bowlers and Records

Punjab Kings have never been short of aggressive batters.

Across different eras, their batting lineups have included names such as Shaun Marsh, Adam Gilchrist, Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, David Miller, Virender Sehwag, Glenn Maxwell, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh.

Some of the highest individual IPL scores for Punjab include KL Rahul’s unbeaten 132, Virender Sehwag’s 122, Paul Valthaty’s unbeaten 120 and Wriddhiman Saha’s unbeaten 115 in the 2014 final.

Punjab have also frequently played an aggressive style that creates wicket opportunities. Batters taking risks can increase a bowler’s wicket tally, but surviving against powerful hitters without conceding heavily is difficult.

That makes Narine’s combination of 36 wickets and an economy around seven particularly impressive. Bumrah and Rashid also stand out because they have restricted Punjab while taking regular wickets.

Punjab Kings Batting Milestones

Punjab’s only appearance in an IPL final came in 2014, when Wriddhiman Saha scored an unbeaten 115 against Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR nevertheless chased the target to win the championship.

The franchise’s long history and aggressive batting approach have given bowlers many opportunities to build substantial head-to-head records.

Spin vs Pace Against Punjab Kings

The list of leading wicket-takers against Punjab is evenly divided between pace and spin.

Narine, Chahal, Rashid, Ashwin and Harbhajan represent spin bowling, while Bhuvneshwar, Umesh, Bravo, Bumrah and Malinga represent pace.

This balance suggests there has not been one single bowling style responsible for Punjab’s dismissals.

Mystery spin has worked through Narine and Rashid, leg-spin through Chahal, swing through Bhuvneshwar, raw pace through Umesh, and death-over skills through Bumrah, Bravo and Malinga.

That variety makes the opponent-specific record particularly interesting.

Conclusion

Sunil Narine and Bhuvneshwar Kumar jointly hold the record for the most wickets against Punjab Kings in IPL history with 36 wickets each through the completed 2026 season. Bhuvneshwar joined Narine at the top after taking two wickets for RCB against Punjab in Dharamsala.

Umesh Yadav is close behind with 35 wickets, while Yuzvendra Chahal has 32. Rashid Khan, Dwayne Bravo, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin are also among the leading wicket-takers against the franchise.

Narine and Bhuvneshwar share another major record: both have taken 5/19 against Punjab, the best bowling figures recorded against the franchise among the leading opponent spells.

The variety of bowlers on the list shows that Punjab’s batting has been challenged in different ways throughout IPL history. Narine’s mystery spin, Bhuvneshwar’s swing, Bumrah’s yorkers and Chahal’s leg-spin have all produced sustained success against one of the IPL’s original franchises.

FAQs

Who has taken the most wickets against Punjab Kings in IPL?

Sunil Narine and Bhuvneshwar Kumar jointly lead with 36 wickets each through IPL 2026.

How many wickets has Sunil Narine taken against Punjab Kings?

Sunil Narine has taken 36 wickets against Punjab Kings.

What are Sunil Narine’s best figures against Punjab Kings?

His best bowling figures against Punjab are 5/19.

How many wickets has Bhuvneshwar Kumar taken against Punjab Kings?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar reached 36 wickets against Punjab during IPL 2026.

What are Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s best figures against Punjab Kings?

Bhuvneshwar’s best figures against PBKS are 5/19.

How many wickets did Umesh Yadav take against Punjab Kings?

Umesh Yadav took 35 wickets from 22 matches against Punjab Kings.

How many wickets has Yuzvendra Chahal taken against Punjab Kings?

Chahal has taken 32 wickets against PBKS.

How many wickets has Jasprit Bumrah taken against Punjab Kings?

Jasprit Bumrah has taken 24 wickets against Punjab Kings through IPL 2026.

What is Bumrah’s best bowling performance against Punjab?

His best figures against Punjab are 3/15.

How many wickets did Dwayne Bravo take against Punjab Kings?

Bravo took 26 wickets against the franchise.

How many wickets did Ravichandran Ashwin take against Punjab Kings?

Ashwin took 22 wickets against Punjab during his IPL career.

Who has the best bowling figures against Punjab Kings?

Sunil Narine and Bhuvneshwar Kumar share the leading figures of 5/19.

Which bowlers have taken five wickets against Punjab Kings?

Sunil Narine, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Munaf Patel and Lakshmipathy Balaji are among the bowlers to record five-wicket hauls against Punjab.

What was Yuzvendra Chahal’s best spell against Punjab Kings?

Chahal’s best bowling figures against PBKS are 4/25.

Which bowler has the best economy among the leading wicket-takers against Punjab?

Rashid Khan and Jasprit Bumrah have been among the most economical major wicket-takers against Punjab, with career opponent economy rates around the mid-six range.