In a T20 game surely the ultimate sin is to give up an extra ball & run. Here we consider the teams who have conceded the most wides in an innings during an IPL match, not a record that any bowling attack is likely to want.
Before we look at the sides that have bowled the most wides in an IPL match, let’s just put things into context by considering what the average number of wides would be in an innings, after all no bowling attack is perfect!
If we only consider innings that have had a minimum of 5 overs (the requirement for a match to finish with a result) then the average number of wides an innings is 3.6.
Now we know the average let’s list the sides that have bowled far more wides than that in an IPL innings!
Rajasthan Royals, 13 wides v KKR, 2015
The most wides in an innings in the IPL is an unwanted record held by the Rajasthan Royals who sent down 13 wides in their game against KKR in 2015. Despite the fact that the Royals extended the innings by over 10% and contributed nearly 7% of KKR’s run by bowling wides they still managed to win as the Knight Riders came up 10 runs short in pursuit of 200.
It was the Australian duo of Shane Watson and James Faulkner who were guilty of contributing the most wides during this innings with 4 and 5 wides bowled respectively.
However, while Watson might have been guilty of some inaccurate bowling he was still named man of the match following 104* from 59 balls and 2 wickets. Perhaps he thought that chucking down a couple of wides would give the opposition a chance?
Mumbai Indians, 12 wides v RCB, 2015
The 12 wides bowled by Mumbai Indians v RCB in 2015 was the most in an innings but only for the space of 4 weeks before Rajasthan’s effort above relieved them of the record! Much like the match above, it was a high scorer and again despite setting a record for the most number of wides in an innings in the IPL, Mumbai still managed to win this game by defending their 209.
Some pretty big name bowlers in the IPL contributed to the wide count with Jasprit Bumrah responsible for sending down 5 himself and Lasith Malinga, Mitch McClenaghan and Hardik Pandya all chipping in with some wayward bowling.
11 wides in an IPL Match
Prior to the games mentioned above, the most wides in an IPL innings was a record held jointly by 4 teams.
CSK were the first to record this number in their game vs Mumbai Indians back in 2008. Sanath Jayasuriya flayed the Super Kings bowling attack for an unbeaten 114 from 48 deliveries as Mumbai won this one at a canter. Clearly CSK’s only response to getting pumped for boundary after boundary was to throw it a bit wider albeit more often than not too wide!
It took 6 years for any team to match the 11 wides that CSK had set as a record with Delhi Daredevils the guilty party on this occasion. In what was a tight run chase KXIP managed to chase down the Daredevils score with just 2 balls to spare and as such it’s difficult not to conclude that the 11 wides bowled weren’t a major factor in the outcome of the game.
Bizarrely enough in between the 2 examples from 2015 of the most wides bowled in an innings above, came another occasion in that season where a side had trouble controlling their line and once again it was the Rajasthan Royals. In some ways you might say that the 11 wides they bowled v Delhi Daredevils was a warm up for the 13 they managed against KKR 2 weeks later. Despite the high number of wides again it didn’t cost the Royals as they ran out 14 run winners.
The final and most recent time that a side has bowled 11 wides in an IPL innings came in another match involving the Rajasthan Royals this time vs RCB in IPL 2020. On this occasion it did lead to defeat and while the plaudits went to AB de Villiers for his unbeaten 55 off 22 balls to see RCB home with just 2 deliveries to spare, once again you can’t underestimate the free 11 runs and extra deliveries that RR offered up come the final tally.
Stats accurate as of 8th April 2021