Most 5 Wicket Hauls in IPL: Bowlers with Fifers in Indian Premier League
With the 16th edition IPL about to take off soon, we have curated a thread of articles dedicated to the highest achievers of the apex tournament. Continuing the same, we present you with the list of bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in IPL history.
Taking a five-wicket haul (also known as a “five-for” or “fifer”) is regarded as a notable achievement, especially in T20 cricket where a bowler can bowl a maximum of only 24 balls (4 overs).
In the fifteen IPL seasons, 30 wicket hauls have been taken by different bowlers, only two five-wicket hauls have been taken outside India.
Most 5 wicket hauls in IPL
| Sr. | Bowler | 5-wicket hauls |
| 1. | Jaidev Unadkat | 2 |
| 2. | James Faulkner | 2 |
| 3. | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 |
| 3. | Lasith Malinga | 1 |
Most 5 wicket hauls in IPL Overview
Jaydev Unadkat equates Faulkner’s record for multiple 5-wicket hauls in IPL
Jaydev Unadkat has attracted big bids in the recent IPL auction. His best season came while he was playing for Rising Pune Supergiants under the captaincy MS Dhoni as he took 24 wickets in 12 matches. He was a part of Rajasthan Royals squad in the 2019 season, a season that didn’t go according to plan for him.
He has two five-wicket hauls in IPL and is ahead of Faulkner in the list for most fifers in IPL history due to him having more wickets. The Indian pacer has 77 wickets in 73 matches with a strike rate of 19.55. He once again needs to prove his worth in the upcoming IPL season for him to be even considered for the Indian team that will take part in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia.
James Faulkner the forgotten Aussie sensation
James Faulkner was once a lethal fast bowler with a fantastic skill set. He has aged over the years and is not as effective as he was before. Faulkner had impressed everyone with his variations and he was very hard to pick in his hay days.
The Australian all-rounder has two five-wicket hauls in IPL to his name. And hence tops the list of bowlers with most fifers in IPL.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Indian Swing King joins the list
Bhuvnesh Kumar has been one of the most reliable bowler with the new ball in hand. Recently there has been a resurgence of Bhuvi in T20 cricket. And his recent season in 2023 has been an extension of the same.
Kumar has been the highest wicket taker for Sunrisers Hyderabad over the years. Now he also has the most fifers for the team in IPL, as he claims his second fifer in the tournament. It came against Gujarat Titans in a high intensity game.
In 4 overs he claimed 5 wickets against GT while only conceding 30 runs at an economy of 7.5 runs. It was a sensational spell as it also saw him pick a hat trick for his side. Sadly, his team still ended up losing the game. But the game will be remembered for his magnificent spell.
Mumbai Indians’ Veteran Lasith Malinga
IPL’s most successful bowler Malinga has played for Mumbai Indians and has been integral to their success. The Srilankan fast bowler has been a dominant force in world cricket and has most wickets in IPL history. He has 170 wickets in 122 matches with a strike rate of 16.62. Hence it doesn’t surprise anyone to find Malings on the list of bowlers with most 5 wicket hauls in IPL.
Lasith Malinga showed that he has a lot of gas left in his tank when he helped them win the 2019 IPL final. He will be crucial to Mumbai’s success this time around as well with Bumrah having injury concerns.
More facts on most 5-wicket hauls in IPL history
The first five-wicket haul was taken by Sohail Tanvir of the Rajasthan Royals against the Chennai Super Kings on 4 May 2008. While James Faulkner and Jaydev Unadkat are the only bowlers to take multiple five-wicket hauls in the IPL.
Interestingly, Anil Kumble is the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul, achieving the feat at the age of 38, while Jaydev Unadkat is the youngest, he was 21 when he took his first five-for in 2013.
Lakshmipathy Balaji, Andrew Tye and Jaydev Unadkat are the only bowlers to take a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in the same match, later two achieving the feat during the 2017 season, whereas Alzarri Joseph and Tye are the only bowlers to take a five-wicket haul on their IPL debut.
List of bowlers five-wicket hauls in IPL History
| S No | Player | Opponent | Wickets | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sohail Tanvir (RR) | Chennai Super Kings | 6 | 2008 |
| 2 | L Balaji (CSK) | Punjab Kings (Then Kings XI Punjab) | 5 | 2008 |
| 3 | Amit Mishra (DC) | Deccan Chargers | 5 | 2008 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble (RCB) | Rajasthan Royals | 5 | 2009 |
| 5 | Lasith Malinga (MI) | Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) | 5 | 2011 |
| 6 | Harbhajan Singh (MI) | Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 2011 |
| 7 | Ishant Sharma (Deccan Chargers) | Kochi Tuskers Kerala | 5 | 2011 |
| 8 | Munaf Patel (MI) | Punjab Kings (Then Kings XI Punjab) | 5 | 2011 |
| 9 | Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) | Deccan Chargers | 5 | 2012 |
| 10 | Dimitri Mascarenhas (PBKS) | Pune Warriors India | 5 | 2012 |
| 11 | Sunil Narine (KKR) | Punjab Kings (Then Kings XI Punjab) | 5 | 2012 |
| 12 | James Faulkner (RR) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 2013 |
| 13 | Jaydev Unadkat (RCB) | Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) | 5 | 2013 |
| 14 | James Faulkner (RR) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 2013 |
| 15 | Adam Zampa (RPSG) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 6 | 2016 |
| 16 | Andrew Tye (GL) | Rising Pune Supergiants | 5 | 2017 |
| 17 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) | Punjab Kings (Then Kings XI Punjab) | 5 | 2017 |
| 18 | Jaydev Unadkat (RPSG) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 2017 |
| 19 | Ankit Rajpoot (PBKS) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 2018 |
| 20 | Alzarri Joseph (MI) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 6 | 2019 |
| 21 | Varun Chakravarthy (KKR) | Delhi Capitals | 5 | 2020 |
| 22 | Harshal Patel (RCB) | Mumbai Indians | 5 | 2021 |
| 23 | Andre Russell (KKR) | Mumbai Indians | 5 | 2021 |
| 24 | Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) | Rajasthan Royals | 5 | 2021 |
| 25 | Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) | Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 2022 |
| 26 | Umran Malik (SRH) | Gujaat Titans | 5 | 2022 |
| 27 | Wanindu Hasaranga (RCB) | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 5 | 2022 |
| 28 | Jasprit Bumrah (MI) | Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 2022 |
| 29 | Mark Wood (LSG) | Gujarat Giants | 5 | 2023 |
| 30 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) | Gujarat Giants | 5 | 2023 |
| 31 | Akash Madhwal (MI) | Lucknow Super Giants | 5 | 2023 |
| 32 | Mohit Sharma (GT) | Mumbai Indians | 5 | 2023 |
Also read: IPL 2023: Checkout the list of Batters with the Highest Strike Rates in IPL History
Thank you for reading.
