A five-wicket haul in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a statistical milestone where a bowler claims five or more wickets in a single innings, a notable feat given the 24-ball limit per bowler in T20 cricket.
Since the league's inception in 2008, 38 five-wicket hauls have been recorded. Players from twelve of the thirteen franchises have achieved this mark, with Kochi Tuskers Kerala being the only team without a five-wicket haul. Only two of these performances have occurred outside of India.
Overview
In cricket, a five-wicket haul refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement, especially in T20 cricket where a bowler can bowl a maximum of only 24 balls. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India, which has been held annually since its first season in 2008. So far, 38 five-wicket hauls have been taken by different bowlers, of which only two five-wicket hauls have been taken outside India. Players from twelve of the thirteen teams have taken five-wicket hauls; Kochi Tuskers Kerala is the only franchise for which a player has not taken a five-wicket haul.
List of five-wicket hauls
In cricket, a five-wicket haul refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement, especially in T20 cricket where a bowler can bowl a maximum of only 24 balls. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India, which has been held annually since its first season in 2008.
So far, 38 five-wicket hauls have been taken by different bowlers, of which only two five-wicket hauls have been taken outside India. Players from twelve of the thirteen teams have taken five-wicket hauls; Kochi Tuskers Kerala is the only franchise for which a player has not taken a five-wicket haul.
The first five-wicket haul in IPL history was recorded by Sohail Tanvir in 2008. The most economical five-wicket haul was achieved by Akash Madhwal in 2023.
What are the best bowling figures in IPL history?
In the Indian Premier League, a five-wicket haul is defined as a bowler claiming five or more wickets in a single innings. This achievement is statistically significant in the T20 format, where a bowler is restricted to a maximum of 24 balls. The IPL has been held annually since its inception in 2008. As of the available data, 38 five-wicket hauls have been recorded by bowlers representing various franchises. Of these instances, only two have occurred outside of India. Players from twelve of the thirteen teams have achieved this milestone, with Kochi Tuskers Kerala being the only franchise without a recorded five-wicket haul.
The best bowling figures in IPL history are 6/12, achieved by Alzarri Joseph in 2019. This performance stands as the most economical six-wicket haul in the competition. Other notable six-wicket hauls include those by Sohail Tanvir in 2008 and Adam Zampa in 2016. These performances highlight the rarity of taking six wickets in a single T20 innings within the league.
Conversely, the least economical five-wicket haul recorded is 5/40, achieved by Yuzvendra Chahal in 2021. This statistic illustrates the variance in pitch conditions and batting performances across different matches. The data confirms that while six-wicket hauls are rare, the economic efficiency of a five-wicket haul can vary significantly, ranging from the highly efficient 6/12 by Joseph to the more run-conceding 5/40 by Chahal. These records provide key benchmarks for analyzing bowling performances in the IPL.
Who has taken the most five-wicket hauls in the IPL?
Who has taken the most five-wicket hauls in the IPL?
As of the end of the 2025 season, 38 five-wicket hauls have been recorded in the Indian Premier League. This statistic highlights the rarity of the achievement in the Twenty20 format, where a bowler is restricted to a maximum of 24 balls per innings. The available data identifies four bowlers who have achieved this milestone on multiple occasions: James Faulkner, Jaydev Unadkat, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Jasprit Bumrah. These players represent the most consistent performers in this specific statistical category within the league's history.
Team records also provide insight into the frequency of five-wicket hauls. Mumbai Indians hold the record for the highest number of five-wicket hauls taken by their bowlers, with a total of 8. Conversely, Sunrisers Hyderabad have faced the most five-wicket hauls by opposing bowlers, also totaling 8. This indicates a statistical correlation between the team's batting depth and the bowlers' ability to clean up the innings.
The geographic distribution of these performances shows that the vast majority of five-wicket hauls have occurred within India. Only two such hauls have been taken outside the country, underscoring the home advantage or specific pitch conditions prevalent in Indian venues. Furthermore, the achievement has been widespread across franchises. Players from twelve of the thirteen teams that have competed in the IPL have recorded at least one five-wicket haul. Kochi Tuskers Kerala remains the only franchise for which no player has achieved this feat, despite their participation in the league.
The data does not specify the exact number of hauls for each of the four multi-haul bowlers, nor does it detail the specific matches or opponents involved in these performances. The records are aggregated across all seasons since the league's inception in 2008. The consistency of these records reflects the evolving nature of bowling strategies in the IPL, where taking five wickets in a single innings remains a significant benchmark for bowlers.
How do five-wicket hauls vary by season and venue?
Five-wicket hauls in the Indian Premier League (IPL) are statistically rare occurrences, given the format's constraint of a maximum of 24 balls per bowler per innings. Since the league's inception in 2008, a total of 38 five-wicket hauls have been recorded. These achievements have been distributed across twelve of the thirteen franchises that have competed in the tournament. The Kochi Tuskers Kerala is the only franchise for which no player has taken a five-wicket haul. Geographically, the vast majority of these performances have taken place within India, with only two five-wicket hauls recorded outside the country.
The frequency of five-wicket hauls has varied significantly by season. The years 2011, 2022, and 2023 each witnessed the highest number of such performances, with four five-wicket hauls recorded in each of these seasons. In contrast, there were seasons where no bowler managed to achieve this milestone. Specifically, the 2010, 2014, and 2015 editions of the IPL saw zero five-wicket hauls.
Venue-specific records highlight the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium as a notable location for bowling excellence. This venue has hosted five five-wicket hauls, making it the most productive ground for this statistic among those tracked. The distribution of these hauls across different stadiums reflects varying pitch conditions and team strategies employed throughout the tournament's history.
Notable achievements and records
Notable achievements and records
As of the available data, 38 five-wicket hauls have been recorded in the Indian Premier League. These performances have been achieved by players representing twelve of the thirteen franchises that have competed in the tournament. Kochi Tuskers Kerala remains the only franchise for which a player has not taken a five-wicket haul. Of the 38 recorded instances, only two were taken outside India.
Age-related records highlight the range of bowlers capable of achieving this milestone. Anil Kumble is the oldest bowler to take a five-wicket haul, achieving the feat at the age of 38. Jaydev Unadkat holds the record for the youngest bowler, taking five wickets at the age of 21.
Debut performances are also notable within these records. Both Alzarri Joseph and Andrew Tye have recorded five-wicket hauls on their respective IPL debuts.
Combining a five-wicket haul with a hat-trick in the same match is a rare statistical occurrence. Three bowlers have achieved this double: Lakshmipathy Balaji, Andrew Tye, and Jaydev Unadkat. Andrew Tye and Jaydev Unadkat are thus noted for both their debut five-fors and their hat-trick combinations.
Frequently asked questions
What is a five-wicket haul in the IPL?
A five-wicket haul refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. In the IPL, this is considered a significant achievement because each bowler can bowl a maximum of 24 balls.
How many five-wicket hauls have been taken in IPL history?
As of the current data, 38 five-wicket hauls have been taken by different bowlers since the first season in 2008.
Which IPL franchise has not recorded a five-wicket haul?
Kochi Tuskers Kerala is the only franchise for which a player has not taken a five-wicket haul, while players from the other twelve teams have achieved this record.
Have five-wicket hauls been taken outside of India in the IPL?
Yes, only two five-wicket hauls have been taken outside of India during the course of the league.
Summary
The Indian Premier League has seen 38 five-wicket hauls since 2008. This record spans players from twelve of the thirteen franchises, with Kochi Tuskers Kerala as the sole outlier. The majority of these performances have taken place within India, with only two instances recorded abroad.