IPL 2023: Top performers with the ball in league stage
It is said that batters win matches, but bowlers win tournaments. The league stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season has also seen many great bowling performances. Some youngsters have shown great development in their skillset, while veterans have revived their careers by making some tweaks. Overall, the tussle for the 'Purple Cap' is only getting more intense.
Shami has snapped 15 powerplay wickets this season
Mohammed Shami is one of the primary reasons for GT's success. He has scalped 24 wickets in 14 matches at a stellar economy of 7.70. He is tied with teammate Rashid Khan at the summit. Meanwhile, Shami has snapped 15 powerplay wickets in IPL 2023, the most by any bowler. He has also bowled the most number of dot balls this season (172).
Rashid Khan claimed his first IPL hat-trick
Just like Shami, Rashid has also claimed 24 wickets this season with an economy of 7.82. He got his first-ever IPL hat-trick against KKR when he dismissed Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Shardul Thakur. Rashid has picked up 16 wickets in the middle overs (7-16) this season, the third-highest wickets in this phase. He will look to continue the same way in the playoffs.
Yuzvendra Chahal becomes the leading wicket-taker in IPL
Yuzvendra Chahal started this season right from where they left last time. He finished with 21 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 20.57. His economy of 8.17 is slightly on the higher side. This season Chahal surpassed Dwayne Bravo's wickets tally to become the highest wicket-taker in the IPL (187). Notably, in death overs (17-20), Chahal has scalped nine wickets (ER: 7.75).
Chawla has scalped most wickets in the middle overs
MI's veteran leggie Piyush Chawla has revived his IPL career. He has snapped 20 wickets and can also boast an economy of 7.81. He has led MI's fragile bowling attack and has propelled them to the Playoffs. Chawla has scalped 18 wickets in the middle overs (7-16), the most by any bowler this season. He will be crucial to MI's plans going forward.
Tushar Deshpande revived his career after joining CSK
Tushar Deshpande has finished the IPL 2023 league stage with 20 wickets. He has been MS Dhoni's go-to option in the middle overs or at the death. Deshpande has struck some crucial blows this season and will look to continue in the playoffs as well. He has claimed eight wickets in the death overs (17-20) this season. His economy of 11.39 is very high.
Here are the honorable mentions
Matheesha Pathirana has been another death-overs stalwart for CSK. He has scalped 15 wickets, 14 of which have come at the death (17-20). He owns an economy of 7.85 in this phase. Varun Chakravarthy has found his mojo and has snapped 20 wickets this season. His best figures of 4/15 came against RCB. Ravi Bishnoi has starred for LSG with 16 scalps (ER: 7.76).
