What makes a bowler dangerous, or how can you say a T20 bowler is lethal enough? Well, in T20 cricket, the ability to have a better economy rate is the most significant aspect of a bowler. Giving fewer runs can often be the difference between winning and losing.
A bowler who can restrict runs while also taking wickets is the most lethal combo. Over the years, we have witnessed several bowlers who possess this lethal combination of skills.
Dwyane Bravo is one of them and tops the table when it comes to the most wickets in IPL history. Yuzi Chahal is trailing Bravo and may well get past Bravo in the 2023 IPL to become the leading wicket-taker in IPL history.
We often get questions like ‘Who is the most dangerous bowler in the IPL.’ Today, we will try to answer some of them and check out the list of the most dangerous bowlers in IPL history.
First, we will look at the best bowlers whose ability to take wickets and impact a game is greater than anyone else. Their exploits have resulted in many wins for their franchises in the Indian Premier League.
This list contains the names of the top five wicket-takers in IPL (all time) at the time of writing. This list may look different, say, in a few years.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Econ | SR | 4w |
| DJ Bravo | 161 | 183 | 8.38 | 17 | 2 |
| YS Chahal | 145 | 187 | 7.66 | 16.96 | 4 |
| SL Malinga | 122 | 170 | 7.14 | 16.6 | 6 |
| A Mishra | 161 | 173 | 7.36 | 19.41 | 4 |
| R Ashwin | 197 | 171 | 7.01 | 24.52 | 1 |
Bravo was considered the best death bowler in the IPL. He was a different bowler when he started playing for CSK under MS Dhoni. His slower ones were too effective and most batters were not able to pick those.
His ability to bowl different variations including slower ones, cutters, and Yorkers was class apart. He was known to change the pace and length of a delivery, which is why batsmen were finding it hard to punish him.
Yuzvendra Chahal is now the highest wicket-taker in IPL with 187 wickets to his name. He is one hell of a bowler with a big heart. Throughout his career, he has bowled on one of the most difficult grounds in India, the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. And still, he is at the top with the most wickets. He deserves to be there.
In this list, Lasith Malinga stands out as he has taken fewer matches to notch up those wickets with his fastest bowling deliveries. He was one of the best and most dangerous bowlers in IPL and probably in the world.
Malinga was a master of Yorker, the most difficult delivery to bowl in Cricket. And the consistency at which he bowled Yorkers was astonishing. And due to unorthodox action, Malinga was one of the most feared bowlers.
He is also considered a top 10 dangerous bowler in the world.
Amit Mishra is an IPL veteran who started his career with a bang but faded away over time. However, Amit Mishra made a comeback of sorts in IPL 2023 and was among the highest wicket-takers.
The below list contains the names of the bowlers whose economy rates have resulted in many wins for their respective franchises.
We’ve only considered players who have played a minimum of 30 games with good economy rates.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Econ | SR | 4w |
| Rashid Khan | 109 | 139 | 6.66 | 18.68 | 1 |
| Anil Kumble | 42 | 45 | 6.58 | 21.44 | 2 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | 66 | 63 | 6.67 | 24.19 | 0 |
| Sunil Narine | 162 | 163 | 6.73 | 22.97 | 7 |
| Daniel Vettori | 34 | 28 | 6.78 | 27.75 | 0 |
Since his debut in IPL and for Afghanistan, Rashid Khan has been the mainstay of any team or franchise he’s playing for. He has many variations to his bowling, including ripper and slower ones.
He has played in many T20 tournaments around the world and is known for choking runs from one end. By giving just over six runs an over, he practically suffocates the opposition and does not let them score freely. And consequently, taking wickets as a bonus.
Anil Kumble was near retirement when IPL started, but he quickly adapted to Cricket’s fastest format. He was not widely known as a T20 specialist, but he knew exactly how the format worked.
With only 42 IPL matches, Kumble had an impact on the outcome of the game whenever he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore. With an economy rate of 6.58, he was the only spinner that impacted RCB’s chances of winning a trophy.
The highest wicket-taker in international cricket was picked up by CSK. He played 66 matches with 63 wickets to his name, and that too with an impressive economy of 6.67.
He was part of the CSK team that lifted the trophy in 2010. He was the go-to bowler for MS Dhoni in those years.
The career of Daniel Vettori was short-lived, however, he was one of the most effective bowlers to have played in the tournament. He was known for his cunning variations, good enough to be considered the most dangerous bowler in IPL.
There are many greats in the current era of IPL, and we will talk about them. We will take the economy rate into account to determine if a bowler is dangerous or not. You may find some of your favorite and most dangerous bowlers in IPL 2022 or 2023.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Econ | SR | 4w |
| Rashid Khan | 109 | 139 | 6.66 | 18.68 | 1 |
| Sunil Narine | 162 | 163 | 6.73 | 22.97 | 7 |
| Moeen Ali | 59 | 33 | 6.95 | 21.52 | 0 |
| R Ashwin | 197 | 171 | 7.01 | 24.52 | 1 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 163 | 150 | 7.08 | 22.77 | 1 |
| Jofra Archer | 40 | 48 | 7.43 | 19.68 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 17 | 13 | 7.14 | 26.38 | 1 |
| Mitchell Starc | 27 | 34 | 7.16 | 17.05 | 1 |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | 56 | 62 | 7.45 | 20.77 | 1 |
The mystery spinner is considered the most dangerous bowler in IPL, solely because of the deceptive action and speed at which he bowls. He has been the mainstay for KKR for many years and is responsible for winning two IPL trophies.
He has 163 wickets and cemented his position as the death bowler because of the variations including, off-spinners, carrom balls, and occasional leg spin. His ability to contain the batsman is phenomenal and an asset for KKR.
Moeen Ali is more of a batsman than a bowler these days because he’s not been used enough in the matches. However, whenever he does bowl, he puts brakes on the scoring rate and acts as a catalyst for other bowlers to capitalize on one.
He has 33 wickets to his name in the IPL with an impressive economy rate of 6.95. Overall, Moeen Ali provides the captain an option to restrict the opposition team to a reasonable total.
Ravi Ashwin is only one of the few players that have been part of the Indian premier league from the get-go. He has maintained his status as a go-to bowler despite not being in the Indian Limited Overs team.
He has picked up 171 wickets at an impressive strike rate of 7.01. And he was also part of the winning CSK squad in 2010 and 2011. He is an experienced campaigner and adds value to whichever team he is playing for.
Harbhajan Sigh was one of the most lethal bowlers in the IPL with a great track record against right-hand batsmen. He has 150 wickets to his name, only a select few have been able to reach that milestone.
He retired from IPL and other formats of the game in 2021 but he is still considered the most dangerous bowler in IPL history.
Jofra Archer is a bowler who has come up the ranks quite fast in international cricket and then in franchise cricket too. He already has 48 wickets to his name and can prove to be a lethal bowler when on song.
His pace, bounce, variations, and accuracy makes him the superstar even he is playing against the most dangerous team in IPL. Jofra is truly a talent that has tons to offer to IPL and other forms of cricket. He has the ability to trouble even the best batsman in the world with his variations.
Also Read: Worst Team in IPL History
Mohammad Nabi is a spinner from Afghanistan who has tasted success in the IPL. For the last couple of seasons, he has been one of the most menacing and threatening bowlers for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He could be the player to watch out for in the next few seasons, so keep your curious eyes on this lad.
He may not be a regular in IPL but whenever he played, but even the most dangerous batsmen in IPL feared going against him. He has a great track record against right-handed batsmen.
His speed, variations, and ability to trick the batsmen make him very dangerous to face. Batsmen need to keep finding ways to play against him.
Another Mystery Spinner for KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy, is a promising young talent who’s been making headlines with his performances.
He is known for his mystery spin, which is why it is challenging for the batsman to read his deliveries. With a unique action, Varun can generate significant turns on the ball. Coupled with wicket-taking abilities, he’s been the go-to guy for KKR whenever they need a wicket.
He has shown what he can do at the highest level, and only time will tell what’s ahead of him and his franchise.
There are some bowlers that deserve to be on this list, but unfortunately, they couldn’t make the cut.
Speedster Jasprit Bumrah is one of them. With unusual action, Bumrah provides a sense of security for MI whenever they are on the field. He has 145 wickets to his name but couldn’t make the cut due to the economy rate.
Piyush Chawla is another example of high-quality bowling in the IPL. He has been playing in the IPL since its inception and is one of the leading wicket-takers in the history of the IPL.
IPL is filled with amazing local and international talents who showcase their skills and abilities in this Incredible Premier League. From seasoned veterans to young talents, IPL has witnessed the most dangerous bowlers who have left quite an impression on the fans and the tournament.
These bowlers have demonstrated their skills and abilities to take wickets and restrict runs, making a valuable contribution to their teams time and time again.
In this type of league, it is challenging for bowlers to maintain their dominance over a long period, making the achievements of these bowlers even more special.
As we are approaching the middle of the current IPL season, it is hard to say who is going to be the most dangerous bowler in IPL 2023. Only time will tell; keep watching the tournament.
Do tell us in the comments which one is your favorite, or have we missed some prominent names?
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