Worst IPL Bowling Figures – Most Runs Conceded in an IPL Innings

Worst bowling figures make fascinating IPL trivia because they show the brutal side of T20 cricket. Even world-class bowlers can have a night when every plan fails, yorkers become full tosses, slower balls disappear over the ropes, and batters attack without hesitation. A spell that looks terrible on a scorecard can sometimes come against extraordinary batting on a flat pitch, at a small ground, or during a match where the bowler is repeatedly forced to operate at the death.

For several years, Basil Thampi’s 0/70 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018 stood as the most expensive bowling spell in IPL history. That record has since been broken. Jofra Archer now holds the unwanted IPL record after conceding 76 runs without taking a wicket for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025.

Mohammed Shami followed closely with 0/75 in the same season, while Will O’Rourke conceded 74 runs but at least managed to take two wickets. The modern IPL has therefore pushed expensive bowling records into a new range as batting strike rates and team totals continue to rise.

Worst Bowling Figures Ever in IPL History

The current record belongs to Jofra Archer.

Playing for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025, Archer completed his four-over spell with figures of 0/76.

That surpassed Mohit Sharma’s 0/73 from the previous season and Basil Thampi’s long-standing 0/70.

Archer’s spell came during an extraordinary SRH batting performance. Hyderabad scored 286 runs, one of the highest team totals in IPL history. Ishan Kishan’s century and relentless attacking batting left almost every Rajasthan bowler under pressure.

Archer was not an inexperienced bowler learning his trade. He was already one of the most respected fast bowlers in world cricket.

That makes the record an important reminder of how unforgiving T20 cricket can be.

A bowler can execute reasonably well for part of a spell and still finish with shocking figures if several balls disappear for boundaries.

Top 10 Worst Bowling Figures in IPL History

The list shows a clear pattern.

Most of the worst spells in IPL history have come in the modern era.

Six of the ten entries above came from the 2024, 2025 or 2026 seasons.

That is not a coincidence.

Modern IPL teams attack from the first over, batting lineups are deeper, Impact Player rules have increased batting resources, and scores above 200 have become increasingly common.

Jofra Archer’s 0/76 Against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Jofra Archer’s 0/76 is currently the most expensive completed four-over spell in IPL history.

The Rajasthan Royals fast bowler endured the difficult outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025.

SRH attacked almost every phase of the innings.

Archer had to bowl to a batting lineup operating at an extreme scoring rate, and his usual pace became useful to the batters once he missed his ideal lengths.

Fast bowling at high speed can be a major weapon, but it also carries risk on flat pitches. When the ball is not moving, batters can use the pace and send even slightly inaccurate deliveries to the boundary.

Archer finished without a wicket.

The 76 runs moved him past all previous IPL records for runs conceded by a bowler in a four-over spell.

Mohammed Shami’s 0/75 Against Punjab Kings

Mohammed Shami recorded the most expensive IPL spell by an Indian bowler when he conceded 75 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings in 2025.

Punjab scored 245/6.

Shami’s difficulties started early.

Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya attacked him in the powerplay, while Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera continued the pressure later.

His final over was especially damaging.

Marcus Stoinis struck four consecutive sixes to complete Punjab’s innings.

Shami finished with 0/75 from four overs.

The spell moved him past Basil Thampi’s Indian record of 70 runs conceded.

It also demonstrated that reputation offers no protection in T20 cricket. Shami is one of India’s most accomplished fast bowlers, but a combination of flat conditions, aggressive batting and missed execution produced one of the most expensive spells ever seen in the IPL.

Will O’Rourke’s 2/74 Against RCB

Will O’Rourke occupies a slightly unusual position on this list.

Unlike most of the bowlers around him, he actually took wickets.

The Lucknow Super Giants pacer conceded 74 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 but finished with two dismissals.

RCB were chasing a huge total and attacked almost continuously.

Jitesh Sharma produced a spectacular unbeaten 85, while Mayank Agarwal supported him during the chase.

O’Rourke became the most expensive bowler in an IPL run chase at the time.

His spell also proves that wicket-taking alone does not always protect a bowler’s figures.

A bowler can dismiss two batters and still have an extremely difficult match if the remaining deliveries cost boundaries.

Mohit Sharma’s 0/73 Against Delhi Capitals

Before Archer and Shami moved beyond 75, Mohit Sharma had briefly held the IPL record.

Playing for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals in 2024, Mohit conceded 73 runs from four overs without taking a wicket.

Delhi scored 224/4.

Rishabh Pant caused most of the damage.

Pant attacked Mohit’s slower balls and death-over variations, repeatedly clearing the boundary.

Mohit had built a strong reputation as a specialist in slower deliveries and tactical death bowling.

On this occasion, however, Delhi read those variations early.

Once a batter starts predicting a bowler’s slower ball, the same delivery that normally creates a wicket can become easy to attack.

Mohit’s 0/73 showed how quickly a bowler’s biggest strength can become a weakness if the batter identifies the pattern.

Basil Thampi’s Famous 0/70

Basil Thampi’s spell remains one of the most famous expensive bowling performances in IPL history.

He conceded 70 runs in four overs for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru in 2018.

At the time, it was the most expensive spell ever bowled in the IPL.

RCB scored 218/6.

AB de Villiers scored 69, Moeen Ali made 65 and Colin de Grandhomme added 40 from only 17 balls.

Thampi came under heavy pressure during the middle and death overs.

The small boundaries at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium made recovery particularly difficult.

A slightly overpitched delivery could become six, while a shorter ball could disappear over square leg.

Thampi’s 0/70 remained the IPL record for several years and is still one of the first spells fans remember when discussing expensive bowling.

Yash Dayal’s 0/69 and Rinku Singh’s Five Sixes

Yash Dayal’s 0/69 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023 is remembered for one extraordinary over.

Gujarat Titans appeared certain to win when KKR needed 29 runs from the final over.

Rinku Singh then produced one of the most famous finishes in IPL history.

After Umesh Yadav took a single from the first delivery, Rinku needed 28 from five balls.

He hit five consecutive sixes.

Dayal conceded 30 runs from the over and finished with 0/69.

The spell became an example of how one over can completely transform bowling figures.

Before the last six deliveries, Dayal’s numbers were expensive but not record-breaking.

By the end, he had entered the list of the most expensive spells in IPL history.

Why Do These Bowling Spells Go Wrong?

An expensive bowling spell rarely has one simple explanation.

Several factors usually combine.

Small Grounds

Small boundaries make mistakes much more expensive.

Bengaluru is the obvious example.

A shot that might land safely inside the boundary at a larger ground can clear the rope at Chinnaswamy.

Basil Thampi’s 0/70 came there.

Reece Topley’s 1/68 also came in Bengaluru.

Bowlers have less room for error because even mishits can produce six.

Flat Pitches

Modern IPL pitches can be extremely good for batting.

True bounce allows players to hit through the line.

If there is little seam or spin, bowlers lose one of their main defensive weapons.

Hyderabad has produced several huge totals in recent seasons.

That environment contributed to both Archer’s 0/76 and Shami’s 0/75 in 2025.

Bad Matchups

T20 teams study individual matchups carefully.

A batter may prefer pace but struggle against spin.

Another may dominate left-arm seam but have difficulty against leg-spin.

If a captain is forced to use a bowler against an unfavourable matchup, the batter can attack immediately.

Mohit Sharma’s experience against Rishabh Pant in 2024 is a good example.

Pant read his slower-ball strategy and repeatedly targeted him.

Death-Overs Pressure

Several bowlers on the list suffered because they had to bowl at the end of the innings.

Death bowling is one of the hardest jobs in cricket.

Batters no longer need to protect their wickets.

They are prepared to swing at every ball.

A missed yorker can become a full toss.

A predictable slower ball can be pulled for six.

One bad over can add 20 or 25 runs to an otherwise respectable spell.

Momentum

T20 batting is strongly influenced by momentum.

Once a batter hits two or three boundaries in an over, bowlers often change their plans.

They may try yorkers, slower balls, bouncers and wide lines within a few deliveries.

Constant adjustment can create further mistakes.

That is how an expensive over can quickly become an extremely expensive spell.

Worst Bowling Figures by Indian Bowlers

Mohammed Shami currently holds the record for the most runs conceded by an Indian bowler in an IPL innings.

His 0/75 against Punjab Kings in 2025 surpassed Basil Thampi’s 0/70.

The leading Indian entries include:

The presence of accomplished bowlers such as Shami, Mohit and Arshdeep shows that these records are not necessarily signs of poor quality.

They are often the result of one extremely difficult day in a format designed to favour aggressive batting.

Worst Bowling Figures by Overseas Bowlers

Jofra Archer holds the overall overseas record with 0/76.

Will O’Rourke follows with 2/74.

Other expensive overseas spells include Reece Topley’s 1/68 and Luke Wood’s 1/68.

Xavier Bartlett also joined the list in 2026 after conceding 69 runs for Punjab Kings against Delhi Capitals.

Overseas fast bowlers often receive difficult assignments.

They may bowl with the new ball and return at the death, exposing them to the two most aggressive batting phases.

That can produce wickets, but it can also create extreme economy rates when the plan fails.

Most Runs Conceded in an IPL Over

The record for the most runs conceded in a single IPL over is 37.

Harshal Patel conceded 37 runs while bowling to Ravindra Jadeja in 2021.

The over included five sixes, one four and an extra run from a no-ball.

Prasanth Parameswaran also conceded 37 runs in an over to Chris Gayle in 2011.

An over can therefore become expensive even faster than a complete spell.

Thirty or more runs in six legal deliveries can transform a bowler’s final figures and sometimes decide the entire match.

What Expensive Bowling Figures Really Tell Us

Worst bowling figures are entertaining records, but they require context.

A bowler who finishes with 0/70 may have been asked to bowl during the powerplay and death.

Another may have bowled on a tiny ground where the winning total was above 240.

The opposing batter may simply have played an exceptional innings.

Economy figures should therefore never be used alone to judge a bowler’s ability.

Jofra Archer, Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma have all produced outstanding T20 performances during their careers.

They also appear near the top of this unwanted record list.

That contrast captures the nature of IPL cricket.

Every bowler is one exceptional batting performance away from a difficult scorecard.

FAQs

Who has the worst bowling figures in IPL history?

Jofra Archer holds the record after conceding 76 runs without taking a wicket for Rajasthan Royals against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2025.

How many runs did Basil Thampi concede in his worst IPL spell?

Basil Thampi conceded 70 runs from four overs without taking a wicket against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018.

Who has the worst IPL bowling figures by an Indian?

Mohammed Shami holds the Indian record with 0/75 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings in 2025.

Who conceded 69 runs after Rinku Singh hit five sixes?

Yash Dayal finished with 0/69 for Gujarat Titans against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023 after Rinku Singh hit five consecutive sixes in the final over.

What is the most runs conceded in one IPL over?

The record is 37 runs in one over. Harshal Patel and Prasanth Parameswaran have both conceded 37-run overs in the IPL.

Did Basil Thampi still hold the IPL record after 2018?

No. His 0/70 was the record for several years, but Mohit Sharma, Jofra Archer, Mohammed Shami and Will O’Rourke later recorded more expensive spells.