Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Sunil Narine vs Rashid Khan IPL stats, quick answer: Sunil Narine has more IPL wickets and a lower economy rate; Rashid Khan takes his wickets slightly more often. Narine has also added a batting career as an opener. Both are among the very best spinners in IPL history.
- Matches: Sunil Narine 202, Rashid Khan 153
- Wickets: Sunil Narine 207 (econ 6.79), Rashid Khan 179 (econ 7.28)
- IPL titles: Sunil Narine 3, Rashid Khan 1
Why This Comparison Is Worth Making
Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan are the two most successful overseas spinners in IPL history. Narine, Kolkata’s mystery spinner since 2012, and Rashid, who joined Sunrisers in 2017 before moving to Gujarat, have both won titles and turned into match-winning batters too.
Sunil Narine vs Rashid Khan IPL Stats: Career Numbers Side by Side
| Metric | Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 202 | 153 |
| Seasons | 15 | 10 |
| Wickets | 207 | 179 |
| Economy | 6.79 | 7.28 |
| Balls per wicket | 22.5 | 19.7 |
| Best bowling | 5/19 | 4/24 |
| Player of the match | 18 | 14 |
| Titles | 3 | 1 |
Per match, Sunil Narine has contributed 1.02 wickets and Rashid Khan 1.17 wickets. Sunil Narine has won player of the match once every 11.2 games, Rashid Khan once every 10.9.
Season-by-Season Parallel
| Season | Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 24 wkts, econ 5.48 (15 m) | – |
| 2013 | 22 wkts, econ 5.47 (16 m) | – |
| 2014 | 21 wkts, econ 6.36 (16 m) | – |
| 2015 | 7 wkts, econ 7.31 (8 m) | – |
| 2016 | 11 wkts, econ 7.12 (11 m) | – |
| 2017 | 10 wkts, econ 6.98 (16 m) | 17 wkts, econ 6.63 (14 m) |
| 2018 | 17 wkts, econ 7.66 (16 m) | 21 wkts, econ 6.74 (17 m) |
| 2019 | 10 wkts, econ 7.83 (12 m) | 17 wkts, econ 6.28 (15 m) |
| 2020 | 5 wkts, econ 7.95 (10 m) | 20 wkts, econ 5.38 (16 m) |
| 2021 | 16 wkts, econ 6.45 (14 m) | 18 wkts, econ 6.70 (14 m) |
| 2022 | 9 wkts, econ 5.57 (14 m) | 19 wkts, econ 6.60 (16 m) |
| 2023 | 11 wkts, econ 7.98 (14 m) | 27 wkts, econ 8.24 (17 m) |
| 2024 | 17 wkts, econ 6.69 (15 m) | 10 wkts, econ 8.40 (12 m) |
| 2025 | 12 wkts, econ 7.80 (12 m) | 9 wkts, econ 9.35 (15 m) |
| 2026 | 15 wkts, econ 6.65 (13 m) | 21 wkts, econ 9.08 (17 m) |
- 2012: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 24 wickets at 5.48 an over; Rashid Khan did not play.
- 2013: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 22 wickets at 5.47 an over; Rashid Khan did not play.
- 2014: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 21 wickets at 6.36 an over; Rashid Khan did not play.
- 2015: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 7 wickets at 7.31 an over; Rashid Khan did not play.
- 2016: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 11 wickets at 7.12 an over; Rashid Khan did not play.
- 2017: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 10 wickets at 6.98 an over; Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) took 17 wickets at 6.63 an over.
- 2018: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 17 wickets at 7.66 an over; Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) took 21 wickets at 6.74 an over.
- 2019: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 10 wickets at 7.83 an over; Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) took 17 wickets at 6.28 an over.
- 2020: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 5 wickets at 7.95 an over; Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) took 20 wickets at 5.38 an over.
- 2021: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 16 wickets at 6.45 an over; Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) took 18 wickets at 6.70 an over.
- 2022: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 9 wickets at 5.57 an over; Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) took 19 wickets at 6.60 an over.
- 2023: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 11 wickets at 7.98 an over; Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) took 27 wickets at 8.24 an over.
- 2024: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 17 wickets at 6.69 an over; Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) took 10 wickets at 8.40 an over.
- 2025: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 12 wickets at 7.80 an over; Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) took 9 wickets at 9.35 an over.
- 2026: Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) took 15 wickets at 6.65 an over; Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) took 21 wickets at 9.08 an over.
They played in the same IPL season 10 times. In those seasons Sunil Narine finished with more wickets 2 times and Rashid Khan 8 times (ties counted for neither when equal).
By phase of the innings
| Phase | Sunil Narine wkts (econ) | Rashid Khan wkts (econ) |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-6) | 29 (6.93) | 15 (7.62) |
| Middle (7-15) | 94 (6.53) | 121 (6.87) |
| Death (16-20) | 84 (7.25) | 43 (8.75) |
Sunil Narine has bowled 21% of his balls in the powerplay and 24% at the death; for Rashid Khan the split is 10% and 18%.
Against each opponent
| Opponent | Sunil Narine wkts (econ) | Rashid Khan wkts (econ) |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 27 (6.27) | 22 (8.24) |
| Mumbai Indians | 28 (6.88) | 21 (6.20) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 28 (6.74) | 21 (8.27) |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | – | 20 (7.81) |
| Delhi Capitals | 29 (6.82) | 24 (6.37) |
| Punjab Kings | 36 (7.02) | 27 (6.47) |
| Rajasthan Royals | 16 (7.09) | 24 (7.04) |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 19 (6.88) | 3 (9.15) |
| Gujarat Titans | 7 (7.87) | – |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 7 (6.06) | 9 (8.11) |
Home, away and neutral
| Venue type | Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan |
|---|---|---|
| Home | 79 wkts, econ 6.54 | 61 wkts, econ 8.01 |
| Away | 89 wkts, econ 7.21 | 61 wkts, econ 7.55 |
| Neutral | 39 wkts, econ 6.36 | 57 wkts, econ 6.20 |
Peak Seasons Compared
Sunil Narine’s best season was 2012 for Kolkata Knight Riders: 24 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 5.48, best 5/19.
Rashid Khan’s best season was 2023 for Gujarat Titans: 27 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 8.24, best 4/30.
| Player | Three best seasons |
|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | 2012 (24), 2013 (22), 2014 (21) |
| Rashid Khan | 2023 (27), 2026 (21), 2018 (21) |
Sunil Narine: five best spells
- 5/19 for KKR against PBKS, 15 Apr 2012. 15 Apr 2012, Eden Gardens: PBKS batted first and made 134/9, led by Mandeep Singh 38 (34), with Sunil Narine 5/19 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 132/7, Deep Dasgupta 35* (23) top-scoring as Piyush Chawla 3/18 did the damage for PBKS. PBKS won by 2 runs. Player of the match: Sunil Narine.
- 4/13 for KKR against DC, 3 Apr 2013. 3 Apr 2013, Eden Gardens: DC batted first and made 128, led by Mahela Jayawardene 66 (52), with Sunil Narine 4/13 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 129/4, Gautam Gambhir 41 (29) top-scoring as Shahbaz Nadeem 2/22 did the damage for DC. KKR won by 6 wickets. Player of the match: Sunil Narine.
- 4/15 for KKR against MI, 16 May 2012. 16 May 2012, Wankhede Stadium: KKR batted first and made 140/7, led by Manoj Tiwary 41 (43), with RP Singh 2/33 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 108, Sachin Tendulkar 27 (24) top-scoring as Sunil Narine 4/15 did the damage for KKR. KKR won by 32 runs. Player of the match: Sunil Narine.
- 4/19 for KKR against PBKS, 9 May 2015. 9 May 2015, Eden Gardens: PBKS batted first and made 183/5, led by Glenn Maxwell 43 (22), with Sunil Narine 4/19 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 184/9, Andre Russell 51 (21) top-scoring as Gurkeerat Singh 2/17 did the damage for PBKS. KKR won by 1 wicket. Player of the match: Andre Russell.
- 4/20 for KKR against MI, 16 Apr 2014. 16 Apr 2014, Sheikh Zayed Stadium: KKR batted first and made 163/5, led by Jacques Kallis 72 (46), with Lasith Malinga 4/23 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 122/7, Ambati Rayudu 48 (40) top-scoring as Sunil Narine 4/20 did the damage for KKR. KKR won by 41 runs. Player of the match: Jacques Kallis.
Rashid Khan: five best spells
- 4/24 for GT against LSG, 10 May 2022. 10 May 2022, Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium: GT batted first and made 144/4, led by Shubman Gill 63* (49), with Avesh Khan 2/26 the pick of the LSG bowlers. LSG replied with 82, Deepak Hooda 27 (26) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 4/24 did the damage for GT. GT won by 62 runs. Player of the match: Shubman Gill.
- 4/30 for GT against MI, 12 May 2023. 12 May 2023, Wankhede Stadium: MI batted first and made 218/5, led by Suryakumar Yadav 103* (49), with Rashid Khan 4/30 the pick of the GT bowlers. GT replied with 191/8, Rashid Khan 79* (32) top-scoring as Akash Madhwal 3/31 did the damage for MI. MI won by 27 runs. Player of the match: Suryakumar Yadav.
- 4/33 for GT against RR, 9 May 2026. 9 May 2026, Sawai Mansingh Stadium: GT batted first and made 229/4, led by Shubman Gill 84 (44), with Brijesh Sharma 2/47 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 152, Ravindra Jadeja 38 (25) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 4/33 did the damage for GT. GT won by 77 runs. Player of the match: Rashid Khan.
- 3/7 for SRH against DC, 27 Oct 2020. 27 Oct 2020, Dubai International Cricket Stadium: SRH batted first and made 219/2, led by Wriddhiman Saha 87 (45). DC replied with 131, Rishabh Pant 36 (35) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 3/7 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 88 runs. Player of the match: Wriddhiman Saha.
- 3/12 for SRH against PBKS, 8 Oct 2020. 8 Oct 2020, Dubai International Cricket Stadium: SRH batted first and made 201/6, led by Jonny Bairstow 97 (55), with Ravi Bishnoi 3/29 the pick of the PBKS bowlers. PBKS replied with 132, Nicholas Pooran 77 (37) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 3/12 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 69 runs. Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow.
Performance in Playoffs and Finals
| Knockout record | Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff matches | 14 | 16 |
| Won | 10 | 6 |
| Runs | 98 | 95 |
| Strike rate | 144.12 | 182.69 |
| Wickets | 12 | 14 |
| Finals played | 4 | 4 |
| Finals won | 3 | 1 |
Sunil Narine has played 14 playoff matches and Rashid Khan 16.
Their biggest knockout performances
- Sunil Narine, 2021 Eliminator: 4/21, 26 (15). 11 Oct 2021, Sharjah Cricket Stadium (Eliminator): RCB batted first and made 138/7, led by Virat Kohli 39 (33), with Sunil Narine 4/21 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 139/6, Shubman Gill 29 (18) top-scoring as Yuzvendra Chahal 2/16 did the damage for RCB. KKR won by 4 wickets. Player of the match: Sunil Narine.
- Sunil Narine, 2021 Final: 2/26, 2 (2). 15 Oct 2021, Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Final): CSK batted first and made 192/3, led by Faf du Plessis 86 (59), with Sunil Narine 2/26 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 165/9, Shubman Gill 51 (43) top-scoring as Shardul Thakur 3/38 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 27 runs. Player of the match: Faf du Plessis.
- Sunil Narine, 2018 Qualifier 2: 1/24, 26 (13). 25 May 2018, Eden Gardens (Qualifier 2): SRH batted first and made 174/7, led by Wriddhiman Saha 35 (27), with Kuldeep Yadav 2/29 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 160/9, Chris Lynn 48 (31) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 3/19 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 14 runs. Player of the match: Rashid Khan.
- Rashid Khan, 2018 Qualifier 2: 34* (10), 3/19. 25 May 2018, Eden Gardens (Qualifier 2): SRH batted first and made 174/7, led by Wriddhiman Saha 35 (27), with Kuldeep Yadav 2/29 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 160/9, Chris Lynn 48 (31) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 3/19 did the damage for SRH. SRH won by 14 runs. Player of the match: Rashid Khan.
- Rashid Khan, 2026 Final: 7 (3), 2/25. 31 May 2026, Narendra Modi Stadium (Final): GT batted first and made 155/8, led by Washington Sundar 50* (37), with Rasikh Salam 3/27 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 161/5, Virat Kohli 75* (42) top-scoring as Rashid Khan 2/25 did the damage for GT. RCB won by 5 wickets. Player of the match: Virat Kohli.
- Rashid Khan, 2023 Qualifier 1: 1/37, 30 (16). 23 May 2023, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) (Qualifier 1): CSK batted first and made 172/7, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad 60 (44), with Mohammed Shami 2/28 the pick of the GT bowlers. GT replied with 157, Shubman Gill 42 (38) top-scoring as Ravindra Jadeja 2/18 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 15 runs. Player of the match: Ruturaj Gaikwad.
When They Have Faced Each Other Directly
Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan have been on opposite sides in 16 IPL matches and in the same XI in 0. When opponents, Sunil Narine’s team won 8 and Rashid Khan’s team won 8.
| In head-to-head matches | Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 118 | 42 |
| Strike rate | 147.50 | 221.05 |
| Wickets | 12 | 17 |
Awards, Titles and Milestones
| Sunil Narine | Rashid Khan | |
|---|---|---|
| IPL titles | 2012, 2014, 2024 | 2022 |
| Caps | None | None |
| Player of the match | 18 | 14 |
Where Each One Is Genuinely Better
- Narine is better at: economy and longevity. His career economy below 7 is outstanding for T20, and he has been part of all three Kolkata titles.
- Rashid is better at: taking wickets often and bowling in big games, where his playoff economy is lower.
- With the bat: Narine is a proper opener with a hundred; Rashid is a lower-order hitter.
The Honest Verdict
Narine’s economy over more than 200 matches is one of the great records in the league. Rashid is close behind and younger. On career value with bat included, Narine edges it.
Related: most sixes in IPL history, most wickets in IPL history, Orange Cap winners, Purple Cap winners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is better in the IPL, Sunil Narine or Rashid Khan?
Sunil Narine has more IPL wickets and a lower economy rate; Rashid Khan takes his wickets slightly more often. Narine has also added a batting career as an opener. Both are among the very best spinners in IPL history.
Who has taken more IPL wickets, Sunil Narine or Rashid Khan?
Sunil Narine, with 207 wickets to 179.
Have Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan played in the same team?
No, they have never been IPL team-mates.