Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
The most wickets in a single IPL season is 32, by Harshal Patel for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021. This page ranks the 20 best individual bowling campaigns in IPL history, shows how the single-season record has moved since 2008, lists the leading wicket taker of every season and looks at which active players have come closest.
More records are in our IPL records section.
What This Record Measures and Why It Is Hard
This record counts every wicket a bowler takes across one IPL season, league phase and playoffs together. Run-outs are not credited to the bowler. Each bowler gets only four overs a match, so a 25-wicket season means taking nearly two wickets every game for two months, usually including the death overs where batters attack hardest.
Bowlers in teams that reach the final get two or three extra matches, which helps. High wicket totals tend to come from death-over specialists and wrist-spinners, because those are the bowlers who bowl when batters take the most risks.
Most Wickets in a Season in the IPL: The Complete All-Time Leaderboard (Top 20)
| Rank | Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Econ | Avg | Best | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harshal Patel | RCB | 32 | 15 | 8.15 | 14.34 | 5/27 | 2021 |
| 2 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 32 | 18 | 7.95 | 15.53 | 4/42 | 2013 |
| 3 | Kagiso Rabada | DC | 30 | 17 | 8.35 | 18.27 | 4/24 | 2020 |
| 4 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 29 | 17 | 9.68 | 21.59 | 3/25 | 2026 |
| 5 | Lasith Malinga | MI | 28 | 16 | 5.95 | 13.39 | 5/13 | 2011 |
| 6 | James Faulkner | RR | 28 | 16 | 6.76 | 15.25 | 5/16 | 2013 |
| 7 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | 28 | 16 | 7.95 | 17.89 | 4/23 | 2026 |
| 8 | Mohammed Shami | GT | 28 | 17 | 8.03 | 18.64 | 4/11 | 2023 |
| 9 | Mohit Sharma | GT | 27 | 14 | 8.17 | 13.37 | 5/10 | 2023 |
| 10 | Jasprit Bumrah | MI | 27 | 15 | 6.73 | 14.96 | 4/14 | 2020 |
| 11 | Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 27 | 17 | 7.75 | 19.52 | 5/40 | 2022 |
| 12 | Rashid Khan | GT | 27 | 17 | 8.24 | 20.44 | 4/30 | 2023 |
| 13 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 26 | 14 | 7.05 | 14.19 | 5/19 | 2017 |
| 14 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 26 | 17 | 8.14 | 16.38 | 3/22 | 2015 |
| 15 | Wanindu Hasaranga | RCB | 26 | 16 | 7.54 | 16.54 | 5/18 | 2022 |
| 16 | Imran Tahir | CSK | 26 | 17 | 6.70 | 16.58 | 4/12 | 2019 |
| 17 | Kagiso Rabada | DC | 25 | 12 | 7.83 | 14.72 | 4/21 | 2019 |
| 18 | Morne Morkel | DC | 25 | 16 | 7.19 | 18.12 | 4/20 | 2012 |
| 19 | Trent Boult | MI | 25 | 15 | 7.97 | 18.28 | 4/18 | 2020 |
| 20 | Prasidh Krishna | GT | 25 | 15 | 8.27 | 19.52 | 4/41 | 2025 |
Players with more than one season in the top 20: Dwayne Bravo (2), Kagiso Rabada (3), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2).
The top 20 seasons in profile
1. Harshal Patel, 2021: 32 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 14.34 and an economy of 8.15, best figures 5/27, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
2. Dwayne Bravo, 2013: 32 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 15.53 and an economy of 7.95, best figures 4/42, with 1 four-wicket haul.
3. Kagiso Rabada, 2020: 30 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 18.27 and an economy of 8.35, best figures 4/24, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
4. Kagiso Rabada, 2026: 29 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 21.59 and an economy of 9.68, best figures 3/25, with 0 four-wicket hauls.
5. Lasith Malinga, 2011: 28 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 13.39 and an economy of 5.95, best figures 5/13, with 1 four-wicket haul.
6. James Faulkner, 2013: 28 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 15.25 and an economy of 6.76, best figures 5/16, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
7. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 2026: 28 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 17.89 and an economy of 7.95, best figures 4/23, with 1 four-wicket haul.
8. Mohammed Shami, 2023: 28 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 18.64 and an economy of 8.03, best figures 4/11, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
9. Mohit Sharma, 2023: 27 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 13.37 and an economy of 8.17, best figures 5/10, with 3 four-wicket hauls.
10. Jasprit Bumrah, 2020: 27 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 14.96 and an economy of 6.73, best figures 4/14, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
11. Yuzvendra Chahal, 2022: 27 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 19.52 and an economy of 7.75, best figures 5/40, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
12. Rashid Khan, 2023: 27 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 20.44 and an economy of 8.24, best figures 4/30, with 1 four-wicket haul.
13. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 2017: 26 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 14.19 and an economy of 7.05, best figures 5/19, with 1 four-wicket haul.
14. Dwayne Bravo, 2015: 26 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 16.38 and an economy of 8.14, best figures 3/22, with 0 four-wicket hauls.
15. Wanindu Hasaranga, 2022: 26 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 16.54 and an economy of 7.54, best figures 5/18, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
16. Imran Tahir, 2019: 26 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 16.58 and an economy of 6.70, best figures 4/12, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
17. Kagiso Rabada, 2019: 25 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 14.72 and an economy of 7.83, best figures 4/21, with 2 four-wicket hauls.
18. Morne Morkel, 2012: 25 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 18.12 and an economy of 7.19, best figures 4/20, with 1 four-wicket haul.
19. Trent Boult, 2020: 25 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 18.28 and an economy of 7.97, best figures 4/18, with 1 four-wicket haul.
20. Prasidh Krishna, 2025: 25 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 19.52 and an economy of 8.27, best figures 4/41, with 1 four-wicket haul.
Harshal Patel and Dwayne Bravo share the record with 32 wickets each. Harshal took his in 15 matches in 2021, the season split in two by the pandemic; Bravo needed 18 matches in 2013, when Chennai played 16 league games plus the playoffs. Harshal is ranked first here because he conceded fewer runs. He also took a five-wicket haul against Mumbai in the season opener and a hat-trick against Mumbai in the second half.
Kagiso Rabada appears three times, more than anyone else, and his 29 wickets for Gujarat in 2026 won the Purple Cap without a single four-wicket haul, a sign of how consistently he took wickets rather than in bursts. Lasith Malinga’s 28 in 2011 came at an economy of 5.95, the cheapest of any season in the top 20 and the clearest example of a bowler dominating in an era of lower scores. Mohit Sharma’s 27 in 2023 took only 14 matches, after he had spent the previous season as a net bowler for Gujarat.
Gujarat Titans’ 2023 attack is unique in this list. Mohammed Shami (28), Rashid Khan (27) and Mohit Sharma (27) all made the top 12 in the same season, the only time three bowlers from one team have each taken 25 or more wickets in an IPL season. Only one other team has had even two: Mumbai Indians in 2020, with Jasprit Bumrah (27) and Trent Boult (25), on their way to the title. Gujarat, despite that attack, lost the 2023 final to Chennai on the last ball, when Ravindra Jadeja hit a four to finish a rain-reduced chase. Shami, Rashid and Mohit together took 82 wickets that season.
Who Holds It Now and How It Was Set
Harshal Patel, 2021: 32 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 14.34 and an economy of 8.15, best figures 5/27, with 2 four-wicket hauls. Royal Challengers Bangalore did not win the title that season.
Bravo’s 2013 season was built on death bowling, with slower balls and changes of pace, and Chennai reached the final. Harshal’s 2021 haul came from a similar role for Bengaluru, mixing slower balls with a dipping off-cutter at the death. He went into Bengaluru’s Eliminator against Kolkata on 30 wickets and took two more to equal Bravo’s total, but Bengaluru lost and his season ended there.
How the Record Has Changed Hands Over the Years
The single-season record each time it was raised:
| Season | Player | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | RR | 22 |
| 2009 | RP Singh | DCG | 23 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | MI | 28 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 32 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel (equalled) | RCB | 32 |
Season-by-Season Best
The Purple Cap goes to the leading wicket taker of each season. Here is every season’s leader:
| Season | Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Econ | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | RR | 22 | 11 | 6.46 | 12.09 |
| 2009 | RP Singh | DCG | 23 | 16 | 6.99 | 18.13 |
| 2010 | Pragyan Ojha | DCG | 21 | 16 | 7.29 | 20.43 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | MI | 28 | 16 | 5.95 | 13.39 |
| 2012 | Morne Morkel | DC | 25 | 16 | 7.19 | 18.12 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 32 | 18 | 7.95 | 15.53 |
| 2014 | Mohit Sharma | CSK | 23 | 16 | 8.40 | 19.65 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 26 | 17 | 8.14 | 16.38 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 23 | 17 | 7.42 | 21.30 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 26 | 14 | 7.05 | 14.19 |
| 2018 | Andrew Tye | PBKS | 24 | 14 | 8.00 | 18.67 |
| 2019 | Imran Tahir | CSK | 26 | 17 | 6.70 | 16.58 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | DC | 30 | 17 | 8.35 | 18.27 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | RCB | 32 | 15 | 8.15 | 14.34 |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 27 | 17 | 7.75 | 19.52 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | GT | 28 | 17 | 8.03 | 18.64 |
| 2024 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 24 | 14 | 9.73 | 19.88 |
| 2025 | Prasidh Krishna | GT | 25 | 15 | 8.27 | 19.52 |
| 2026 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 29 | 17 | 9.68 | 21.59 |
How often has the cap winner’s team won the title? 3 times in 19 seasons. The season-by-season story:
2008: Sohail Tanvir led the season with 22 wickets in 11 matches for Rajasthan Royals, who won the title.
2009: RP Singh led the season with 23 wickets in 16 matches for Deccan Chargers, who won the title.
2010: Pragyan Ojha led the season with 21 wickets in 16 matches for Deccan Chargers, who finished 2nd in the league.
2011: Lasith Malinga led the season with 28 wickets in 16 matches for Mumbai Indians, who finished 3rd in the league.
2012: Morne Morkel led the season with 25 wickets in 16 matches for Delhi Daredevils, who finished 1st in the league.
2013: Dwayne Bravo led the season with 32 wickets in 18 matches for Chennai Super Kings, who lost the final.
2014: Mohit Sharma led the season with 23 wickets in 16 matches for Chennai Super Kings, who finished 3rd in the league.
2015: Dwayne Bravo led the season with 26 wickets in 17 matches for Chennai Super Kings, who lost the final.
2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the season with 23 wickets in 17 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who won the title.
2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the season with 26 wickets in 14 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who finished 3rd in the league.
2018: Andrew Tye led the season with 24 wickets in 14 matches for Kings XI Punjab, who finished 7th in the league.
2019: Imran Tahir led the season with 26 wickets in 17 matches for Chennai Super Kings, who lost the final.
2020: Kagiso Rabada led the season with 30 wickets in 17 matches for Delhi Capitals, who lost the final.
2021: Harshal Patel led the season with 32 wickets in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who finished 3rd in the league.
2022: Yuzvendra Chahal led the season with 27 wickets in 17 matches for Rajasthan Royals, who lost the final.
2023: Mohammed Shami led the season with 28 wickets in 17 matches for Gujarat Titans, who lost the final.
2024: Harshal Patel led the season with 24 wickets in 14 matches for Punjab Kings, who finished 9th in the league.
2025: Prasidh Krishna led the season with 25 wickets in 15 matches for Gujarat Titans, who finished 3rd in the league.
2026: Kagiso Rabada led the season with 29 wickets in 17 matches for Gujarat Titans, who lost the final.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the only bowler to win the Purple Cap in back-to-back seasons, with 23 wickets in 2016 and 26 in 2017 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Nine years later, at Bengaluru, he took 28 wickets in 2026, his best season, finishing one behind Kagiso Rabada as Bengaluru won the title.
Four bowlers have won the Purple Cap twice: Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Kagiso Rabada. Harshal and Rabada did it with different teams; Harshal took 32 wickets for Bengaluru in 2021 and 24 for Punjab in 2024.
Active Players Closest to Breaking It
| Player | Season | Wickets | Gap to record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harshal Patel | 2021 | 32 | 0 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2020 | 30 | 2 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2026 | 29 | 3 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2026 | 28 | 4 |
| Mohammed Shami | 2023 | 28 | 4 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2020 | 27 | 5 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 2022 | 27 | 5 |
| Rashid Khan | 2023 | 27 | 5 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2017 | 26 | 6 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2019 | 25 | 7 |
Related Records Worth Knowing
Related record pages: IPL Purple Cap winners, IPL Orange Cap winners, fastest century in IPL history, most sixes in IPL history, most wickets in IPL history, and the full IPL records section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who holds the record for most wickets in a single IPL season?
Harshal Patel, with 32 for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021 (as of the end of IPL 2026).
When was this record set?
In IPL 2021.
Has this record ever been broken twice by the same player?
The record has been raised by Sohail Tanvir, RP Singh, Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, Harshal Patel (equalled).