IPL all-time leaderboard · 2007/08 → 2025 · 1,169 matches · 18 seasons
Best bowling strike rate
Fewest balls per wicket across IPL career. Lower is better — measures how quickly a bowler takes wickets. Minimum 90 legal deliveries bowled.
All-time career (2007/08 – 2025)
| # | Player | Balls per wicket | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MA WoodCSKLSG | 10.9 | 120 legal deliveries |
| 2 | Ashwani KumarMI | 11.2 | 123 legal deliveries |
| 3 | Sohail TanvirRR | 11.2 | 247 legal deliveries |
| 4 | Umar GulKKR | 11.3 | 135 legal deliveries |
| 5 | CK LangeveldtKKRRCB | 12.0 | 156 legal deliveries |
| 6 | E MalingaSRH | 12.3 | 160 legal deliveries |
| 7 | L NgidiCSKRCB | 12.8 | 372 legal deliveries |
| 8 | MP YadavLSG | 13.4 | 121 legal deliveries |
| 9 | BJ HodgeKKRKOCHI-TUSKERS-KERALARR | 13.8 | 234 legal deliveries |
| 10 | CRD FernandoMI | 13.8 | 234 legal deliveries |
| 11 | R Sai KishoreGT | 13.8 | 441 legal deliveries |
| 12 | YA AbdullaPBKS | 13.9 | 209 legal deliveries |
| 13 | A Ashish ReddyDECCAN-CHARGERSSRH | 14.6 | 262 legal deliveries |
| 14 | N BurgerRR | 14.6 | 102 legal deliveries |
| 15 | OC McCoyRR | 14.6 | 161 legal deliveries |
| 16 | AD RussellDCKKR | 14.7 | 1806 legal deliveries |
| 17 | CR WoakesDCKKRRCB | 14.7 | 440 legal deliveries |
| 18 | M PathiranaCSK | 14.9 | 702 legal deliveries |
| 19 | OF SmithPBKS | 15.0 | 90 legal deliveries |
| 20 | A ZampaRCBRISING-PUNE-SUPERGIANTRRSRH | 15.1 | 467 legal deliveries |
| 21 | MR MarshDCDECCAN-CHARGERSLSGPUNE-WARRIORS-INDIARISING-PUNE-SUPERGIANTSRH | 15.1 | 560 legal deliveries |
| 22 | JR HazlewoodCSKRCB | 15.2 | 867 legal deliveries |
| 23 | Akash MadhwalMIRR | 15.3 | 352 legal deliveries |
| 24 | Naveen-ul-HaqLSG | 15.5 | 387 legal deliveries |
| 25 | DE BollingerCSK | 15.6 | 576 legal deliveries |
Per-season view
| # | Player | Balls per wicket | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwani KumarMI | 11.2 | 123 legal deliveries |
| 2 | JR HazlewoodRCB | 12.0 | 264 legal deliveries |
| 3 | E MalingaSRH | 12.3 | 160 legal deliveries |
| 4 | Noor AhmadCSK | 12.5 | 300 legal deliveries |
| 5 | KV SharmaMI | 12.9 | 90 legal deliveries |
| 6 | JD UnadkatSRH | 13.0 | 143 legal deliveries |
| 7 | Harpreet BrarPBKS | 13.2 | 132 legal deliveries |
| 8 | R Sai KishoreGT | 13.4 | 255 legal deliveries |
| 9 | AD RussellKKR | 13.6 | 109 legal deliveries |
| 10 | M Prasidh KrishnaGT | 14.2 | 354 legal deliveries |
| 11 | HH PandyaMI | 15.0 | 210 legal deliveries |
| 12 | VG AroraKKR | 15.0 | 255 legal deliveries |
| 13 | SN ThakurLSG | 15.7 | 204 legal deliveries |
| 14 | TA BoultMI | 15.7 | 346 legal deliveries |
| 15 | JJ BumrahMI | 15.8 | 284 legal deliveries |
Season 2025 · 15 qualifying players · Source: Cricsheet (CC BY 3.0) · CricketStudio SETU aggregation
Season leaders
Who topped this leaderboard in each IPL season. Full season breakdown at across-seasons →
| Season | Leader | Balls per wicket | Season hub |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ashwani Kumar | 11.2 | Full 2025 → |
| 2024 | AD Russell | 9.3 | Full 2024 → |
| 2023 | MA Wood | 8.7 | Full 2023 → |
| 2022 | AD Russell | 9.9 | Full 2022 → |
| 2021 | AD Russell | 10.4 | Full 2021 → |
| 2020/21 | L Ngidi | 10.7 | Full 2020/21 → |
| 2019 | KK Ahmed | 11.0 | Full 2019 → |
| 2018 | CR Woakes | 13.8 | Full 2018 → |
| 2017 | AJ Tye | 10.5 | Full 2017 → |
| 2016 | A Zampa | 8.5 | Full 2016 → |
| 2015 | DJ Bravo | 12.1 | Full 2015 → |
| 2014 | Karanveer Singh | 10.9 | Full 2014 → |
| 2013 | DJ Bravo | 11.7 | Full 2013 → |
| 2012 | DE Bollinger | 13.5 | Full 2012 → |
| 2011 | S Aravind | 13.1 | Full 2011 → |
| 2009/10 | RJ Harris | 13.1 | Full 2009/10 → |
| 2009 | A Singh | 11.7 | Full 2009 → |
| 2007/08 | A Mishra | 10.8 | Full 2007/08 → |
Sources & methodology
- Derived from the canonical IPL historical SETU snapshot — ball-by-ball records sourced from Cricsheet under CC BY 3.0. 1,169 matches across 18 seasons (2007/08 → 2025).
- Sample-size floor (doctrine §3.1): Minimum 90 legal deliveries bowled. Claims below this floor are excluded.
- IPL 2026: live season data surfaced separately at /season/ipl-2026. Some aspects (fastest-fifty, fastest-hundred, most-maidens, hat-tricks) are IPL 2026 only.