Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the first T20 leagues to include overseas players in the playing XI. In 2008, a lot of fans’ dreams came true when Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya played for the same team. In the last 17 years, a lot of overseas players have played in the league. In this listicle, we will discuss the 10 overseas bowlers with most wickets in their IPL career.
Top 10 Most Wickets by Overseas Bowlers
| Player | Innings | Wickets | BBI | Average | 4W/5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | 187 | 192 | 5/19 | 25.63 | 7/1 |
| Dwayne Bravo | 158 | 183 | 4/22 | 23.82 | 2/0 |
| Lasith Malinga | 122 | 170 | 5/13 | 19.79 | 6/1 |
| Rashid Khan | 136 | 158 | 4/24 | 23.83 | 2/0 |
| Trent Boult | 119 | 143 | 4/18 | 26.20 | 2/0 |
| Andre Russell | 121 | 123 | 5/15 | 23.27 | 2/1 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 84 | 119 | 4/21 | 22.95 | 6/0 |
| Dale Steyn | 95 | 97 | 3/8 | 25.85 | 0/0 |
| Chris Morris | 81 | 95 | 4/23 | 24.15 | 4/0 |
| Shane Watson | 105 | 92 | 4/29 | 29.15 | 1/0 |
1. Sunil Narine (192 wickets)
The former West Indies has played for only one team, Kolkata Knight Riders since making his debut in 2012. In the 187 games for the team, the three-time IPL winner has picked 192 wickets.
2. Dwayne Bravo (183 wickets)
The former West Indies captain started his career with Mumbai Indians (2008-2010) and finished with Chennai Super Kings (2011-2022). Ahead of the 2023 season, he announced his retirement from the league and last year, announced his retirement from all forms of the game. Bravo finished with 183 wickets in 161 games.
3. Lasith Malinga (170 wickets)
The former Sri Lanka and Mumbai Indians has played 122 games for MI. Known as ‘Slinga Malinga’, the T20 World Cup 2014 winning captain has 170 wickets to his name.
4. Rashid Khan (158 wickets)
The Afghanistan leg-spinner started his career with Sunrisers Hyderabad and now plays for Gujarat Titans. Khan has played 136 games and has 158 wickets to his name.
5. Trent Boult (143 wickets)
The World Test Championship 2021 winner has played for SRH, Delhi Capitals, KKR, MI, and Rajasthan Royals. He will play for MI this year. The 2020 IPL winner has played 119 games and has 143 wickets to his name.
7. Kagiso Rabada (119 Wickets)
The South Africa pacer is now part of Gujarat Titans for the 2025 season. He previously played for DC, followed by a short-stint with Punjab Kings. The right-arm pacer has 119 wickets to his name in 84 games.
8. Andre Russell (115 wickets)
The T20 World Cup 2012 winner started his career with DC but has been part of KKR since 2014. The all-rounder has picked 115 wickets in 127 games in the IPL.
8. Dale Steyn (97 wickets)
The former South Africa pace demon played for various teams such as RCB, now-defunct Deccan Chargers, SRH, and now-defunct Gujarat Lions. He missed the 100 wickets mark as he took 97 wickets, having played his last game in the 2020 season.
9. Chris Morris (95 wickets)
The former South Africa all-rounder started his career with CSK, followed by his stint with the Rajasthan Royals, DC, and RCB. He has played 81 games and has 95 wickets to his name, having played his last match in 2021.
10. Shane Watson (92 wickets)
The two-time IPL winner with RR and CSK has played 105 games and has 92 wickets from 2008 to 2020. After the 2020 season, he retired from all forms of competitive cricket.
