The IPL playoffs see bowlers always alert and ready. Just one poor ball and the entire event leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
The bowlers are thus put under great pressure to not let anything happen. It is, however, very difficult to come out victorious when the heat is on.
Conversely, some bowlers changed the negativity of the moment into the power of the moment and thus gave the best performances in the bowling department.
The following are the best five bowling figures that were recorded during the IPL playoffs.
Best bowling figures in IPL playoffs
5. Jasprit Bumrah (MI): 4/14 vs DC, 2020
If there is a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah in your team, you can afford to be very comfortable. Just hand him the ball and he will take care of it.
Bumrah lit up his captain’s work in the match of 2020 Qualifier 1. The Delhi Capitals (DC) had a huge task of chasing down 201 runs.
But they could not get the wanted start which was all because Trent Boult and Bumrah were delivering double strikes.
While Boult got the first wicket, Bumrah made the second one very quickly. He got rid of Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer during the powerplay.
Then Bumrah came back during the death overs to dismiss a well-set Marcus Stoinis and Daniel Sams.
The right-arm fast bowler finished with 4 for 14 which took Mumbai Indians (MI) closer to their fifth trophy.
4. Dhawal Kulkarni (Gujarat Lions): 4/14 vs RCB, 2016
Performing your career-best against the trio of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul is nothing less than a wish coming true. Very few would be able to make it happen.
But Dhawal Kulkarni was the lucky one in the 2016 Qualifier 1 match. He got the wickets of these well-established players and on the process, he got the best figures of his career in the IPL.
The Gujarat Lions had scored 158 runs. The amount was not huge according to the conditions of a seam-friendly Bengaluru pitch. Hence the team was in need of quick wickets.
Kulkarni was the one who delivered and he drew first blood by sending Kohli, Gayle, Rahul, and Sachin Baby to the pavilion during the powerplay thus giving the Lions a chance to fight back.
However, AB de Villiers still managed to liberate himself with an unbeaten 79 and having that the target just that easy.
3. Doug Bollinger (CSK): 4/13 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010
With only 143 runs to save, your alertness would be at its peak. Meanwhile, Doug Bollinger? He maneuvered the pressure onto the batsmen of the rival side.
For the whole match, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were under the magic of Bollinger in the semi-finals. The first wicket was taken with the dismissal of Adam Gilchrist. And then another wicket went down just four balls after the powerplay leaving Deccan in deep trouble.
Bollinger was back in the 18th over to completely extinguish Deccan’s hope. He claimed two more wickets to take his tally to 4 for 13.
2. Mohit Sharma (GT): 5/10 vs MI, 2023
A season, you are a backup bowler, and the next season, you are the best player of your team. How does it feel? You are right at the top of the world, aren’t you?
Mohit Sharma might have felt that way as he has lived through it. The right-arm fast bowler had a great time during IPL 2023 and his best performance was in Qualifier 2 against MI.
Gujarat Titans (GT) batsmen had done their task, scoring 233 runs, and Mohit very skillfully did the rest.
MI appeared to be a threat only till the 14th over. But then Mohit was brought in and he got rid of a well-settled Suryakumar Yadav.
That wicket altered the flow, and Mohit bagged four more wickets. He ended up with 5 for 10 while GT went through to the final.
Read Also:- Most Wickets in IPL Playoffs
1. Akash Madhwal (MI): 5/5 vs LSG, 2023
You are in your first playoff match and right away you get a five-for. Doesn’t it feel like a dream?
But Akash Madhwal experienced it in the flesh during the 2023 Eliminator match. He went through the ups and downs of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) batting order.
Madhwal, the right-arm pacer, managed to deceive the batters with his delivery variations and perfect yorkers. This was why he bowled out for the first five-for in the IPL playoffs. Madhwal’s 5 for 5 was pivotal in MI restricting LSG to stage the 101 in the defense of their 182 runs.
