Purple Cap In IPL 2025

IPL Purple Cap: A Glimpse Into the League's Top Wicket-Takers Over The Years

The Purple Cap in IPL is awarded to recognise the highest wicket-taker of an edition. In the 17-year history of the IPL, 12 different bowlers have had the honours of claiming the cap. The likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lasith Malinga, and Harshal Patel have won the Purple Cap more than once.

During a season, the Purple Cap can revolve between multiple players depending upon who is leading the wicket-taking charts at a given moment.

The first-ever winner of the IPL Purple Cap was former Pakistan left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir, who represented Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural season. He took 22 wickets from 11 matches of the inaugural season in 2008 and played a key role in RR becoming the champions. The second season of the IPL was held entirely in South Africa due to the general elections in India. Deccan Chargers won the season, and left-arm pacer RP Singh was their star with the ball as he bagged 23 wickets from 16 matches and became the first Indian to win the Purple Cap in 2009.

The third season of IPL also saw a bowler representing Deccan Chargers winning the Purple Cap. This time, it was a left-arm spinner in Pragyan Ojha who spun a web to trap 21 batters in 16 matches. Sri Lanka fast bowling legend Lasith Malinga dominated IPL 2011 with his toe-crushers. He accounted for as many as 28 scalps in 16 matches to set a new record and claimed the Purple Cap as well.

South Africa fast bowling great Morne Morkel troubled the batters with his pace and steep bounce during IPL 2012, and it fetched him 25 wickets for the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils and took home the Purple Cap. The next season, IPL 2013, saw Dwayne Bravo breaking the record for the most wickets taken by a bowler in a season. The Chennai Super Kings legend claimed 32 wickets from 18 games.

In IPL 2014, CSK's Mohit Sharma ensured the Purple Cap remained with the franchise. The right-arm pacer picked up 23 wickets from 16 matches to take the honours. Bravo reclaimed the Purple Cap for the second time in three years and helped CSK complete the hat trick. He took 26 wickets in 17 matches to top the wicket-taking charts.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Sunrisers Hyderabad broke CSK's stranglehold over the Purple Cap with his swing as he took 23 wickets in 17 matches during IPL 2016 to help his franchise win the title. In the following season, Bhuvneshwar created history by winning the cap for the second time in a row. This time he improved his tally to 26 wickets in 14 matches. Andrew Tye became the first Australian to win the Purple Cap when, for Kings XI Punjab, he took 14 wickets from 14 matches in IPL 2018.

During IPL 2019, Imran Tahir, at the age of 40 years, became the oldest bowler in the league's history to win the Purple Cap. The CSK leg spinner collected 26 scalps in 17 games.

A neck-and-neck fight for the Purple Cap ensued in IPL 2020, which was held under the shadow of the covid pandemic. Delhi Capitals' Kagiso Rabada and Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah were in close contention to win the cap with the tournament being held in the UAE. Eventually, Rabada prevailed with 30 scalps—three more than Bumrah.

Harshal Patel drew level with Bravo's all-time IPL record of most wickets in a season when he took 32 wickets in 2021 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He also broke Bumrah's record of most wickets by an Indian bowler in a single edition of IPL.

Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal won the IPL Purple Cap in 2022 with 27 wickets in 17 matches for Rajasthan Royals. In the season that followed, Gujarat Titans' Mohammed Shami took 28 wickets in 17 matches to claim the cap.

And last season—IPL 2024—saw Harshal become the second Indian bowler to win the Purple Cap more than once. Representing Punjab Kings, the right-arm pacer took 24 wickets from 14 matches.