5 Players With Most Wickets In Powerplay In IPL

Aakash Saini

Bowlers with most wickets in powerplay overs in IPL [Source: AP Photos]Bowlers with most wickets in powerplay overs in IPL [Source: AP Photos]

The art of new-ball bowling is a craft that demands precision and an acute understanding of conditions. Striking early in the powerplay not only sets the tone for the innings but also disrupts the opposition’s momentum, forcing batters into a phase of consolidation rather than acceleration.

In IPL, certain bowlers have consistently excelled in this crucial phase of a contest to become invaluable assets for their franchises. Here is a look at five of the most successful bowlers in the history of IPL, in terms of wickets so far.

5. Umesh Yadav – 61 wickets (131 innings)

Forgotten India star Umesh Yadav has claimed 144 wickets in 147 IPL innings. The speedster snared 61 of those wickets with the new ball inside the opening powerplay overs. Often tasked to operate with the new ball owing to his sheer pace and accuracy, Yadav has bowled within the powerplay in 131 innings throughout his IPL career.

Overall, the seasoned T20 fast bowler holds a bowling average of 29.97 in IPL. Apart from being one of the most successful bowlers in the powerplay overs of IPL, Umesh Yadav has also emerged as one of the most prolific fast bowlers in the history of the tournament.

4. Sandeep Sharma – 62 wickets (124 innings)

Indian fast bowler Sandeep Sharma has been highly effective with the new ball. In the powerplay overs of IPL, Sharma has sent down many economical spells, all while claiming 62 wickets in the process. Overall, the speedster has collected 139 wickets across 129 innings in the IPL.

With his ability of swinging the ball, Sandeep Sharma tends to trouble even the best of opposition’s batters upfront, and was highly successful for the Punjab Kings during his five-season stint between 2013 and 2017 before moving to SRH and Rajasthan Royals.


3. Deepak Chahar – 63 wickets (84 innings)

Deepak Chahar holds a major share of his IPL wickets by striking in the powerplay overs. After playing 84 matches for three different franchises, the speedster has picked up 63 wickets in the powerplay out of the 81 he has scalped throughout his IPL career.

Accounting for nearly 80 percent of his career IPL wickets early in the innings, Chahar tends to beat top-order batters with his trouble-making pace and swing. He also holds an impressive economy rate of 8.02, in spite of the high-scoring nature of the tournament in the past few years.

2. Trent Boult – 64 wickets (106 innings)

Legendary New Zealand paceman Trent Boult has emerged as the most successful powerplay bowler in IPL history among all overseas cricketers. With 64 wickets from 106 innings, the speedster has collected more than half of his career IPL wickets (123 wickets) with the new ball.

A two-time IPL winning cricketer, one each for the SRH and the Mumbai Indians, Boult has been a premier new ball strike bowler for all captains he has played under, ever since he made his tournament debut back in 2015.

1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 76 wickets (175 innings)

Senior Indian cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has turned out to be IPL’s most successful powerplay bowler by a landslide. Having demonstrated his mastery in line and length and holding an innate ability of producing some devastating swing bowling, Bhuvneshwar has picked up 76 wickets in the powerplay overs of IPL matches.

Overall, the cricketer is currently sitting on an illustrious pile of 183 wickets, all with an impressive bowling average of 27.12. Bhuvneshwar also tends to strangle opposition’s batting line-ups with his sheer accuracy, and he holds the record of delivering the highest number of dot balls in the history of the tournament.