Most Wickets in Death Overs in IPL History

The final four overs in a T20 innings, known as the death overs, are the ultimate test for bowlers. With batters going all out, looking to clear the ropes with every delivery, death-over specialists are entrusted with the task of not only restricting runs but also picking up crucial wickets.

Over the years, the IPL has witnessed some of the finest death-over bowlers, including Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, and Jasprit Bumrah, who have turned matches on their heads with their accuracy and variation.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 bowlers with the most wickets in death overs in IPL history.

Top 10 Bowlers with Most Wickets in Death Overs

Player	Innings	Wickets	Balls Bowled	Economy Rate
Dwayne Bravo	125	102	1115	9.73
Lasith Malinga	109	90	917	7.82
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	139	85	1167	9.44
Jasprit Bumrah	120	80	1115	8.39
Harshal Patel	71	63	613	10.23
Mohit Sharma	80	61	666	10.18
Sunil Narine	96	60	739	7.99
Mohammed Shami	76	58	566	10.70
Chris Morris	65	55	586	8.55
Kagiso Rabada	65	52	486	9.75

Key Insights

• Dwayne Bravo holds the record for the most wickets in death overs in IPL history, with 102 wickets in 125 innings. He remains the only bowler to cross the 100-wicket mark in overs 17-20.
• Lasith Malinga, the king of toe-crushing yorkers, boasts the best bowling average (13.28) among all bowlers with at least 50 wickets in death overs. His economy rate of 7.82 is the lowest in this phase, highlighting his incredible control under pressure.
• Both Bravo and Malinga have picked up more than 50% of their IPL wickets while bowling in death overs. Bravo’s 102 wickets account for 55.73% of his 183 total wickets, while Malinga’s 90 wicket make up 52.94% of his 170 wickets.
• Bravo, Malinga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Jasprit Bumrah have bowled more than 300 dot balls in the death-over phase, showcasing their ability to apply pressure on set batters in the final overs.

Final Thoughts

Bowling in death overs is not for the faint-hearted. With power hitters swinging hard, bowlers need immense skill, precision, and mental strength to succeed. Death Overs Specialists Bowlers in IPL the likes of Bravo, Malinga, Bumrah, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have set the benchmark with their ability to execute yorkers, slower balls, and deceptive variations under immense pressure.

As the IPL continues to evolve, new death-over specialists will emerge, but the legends who have dominated this high-intensity phase will always be remembered as the ultimate game-changers.