The list of Purple Cap winners in IPL is a roll call of the best fast bowling the T20 game has seen. Since Sohail Tanvir took the first cap in 2008, nineteen seasons have crowned fifteen different bowlers, and the newest name on the list is Kagiso Rabada, who claimed the 2026 Purple Cap with 29 wickets for Gujarat Titans.
Rabada edged out Royal Challengers Bengaluru seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who finished one wicket behind on 28. The South African quick sealed the award with a wicket in the final itself, even though his team lost the title match to RCB. That last day drama is typical of this award. The Purple Cap race often stays alive deep into the playoffs.
This article gives you the complete season by season list of every Purple Cap winner from 2008 to 2026, the bowlers who have won it more than once, and the trends that stand out across nineteen seasons of IPL bowling. For the batting equivalent, see our Orange Cap winners in IPL list.
Purple Cap Winners in IPL Overview
The Purple Cap goes to the bowler who takes the most wickets in an IPL season. The bowler leading the tally wears a purple cap during matches, and the final winner is confirmed after the last ball of the season. If two bowlers finish level on wickets, the better economy rate decides the winner. You can cross check the season tallies on the official IPL website and the ESPNcricinfo Purple Cap winners list.
| Detail | Record |
|---|---|
| Award | Highest wicket taker of the IPL season |
| Current holder | Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans) |
| 2026 winning tally | 29 wickets in 17 matches |
| Most Purple Caps by one bowler | 2, shared by four bowlers |
| Most wickets in a winning season | 32 (Dwayne Bravo in 2013, Harshal Patel in 2021) |
| Fewest wickets in a winning season | 21 (Pragyan Ojha in 2010) |
| Seasons covered | 2008 to 2026 |
Purple Cap Winners Season by Season
Here is every winner since the award began in the first IPL season.
| Season | Winner | Team | Matches | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 22 |
| 2009 | R P Singh | Deccan Chargers | 16 | 23 |
| 2010 | Pragyan Ojha | Deccan Chargers | 16 | 21 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | Mumbai Indians | 16 | 28 |
| 2012 | Morne Morkel | Delhi Daredevils | 16 | 25 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings | 18 | 32 |
| 2014 | Mohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | 16 | 23 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings | 16 | 26 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 17 | 23 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 14 | 26 |
| 2018 | Andrew Tye | Kings XI Punjab | 14 | 24 |
| 2019 | Imran Tahir | Chennai Super Kings | 17 | 26 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | Delhi Capitals | 17 | 30 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 15 | 32 |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Rajasthan Royals | 17 | 27 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | Gujarat Titans | 17 | 28 |
| 2024 | Harshal Patel | Punjab Kings | 14 | 24 |
| 2025 | Prasidh Krishna | Gujarat Titans | 15 | 25 |
| 2026 | Kagiso Rabada | Gujarat Titans | 17 | 29 |
Bowlers with the Most Purple Cap Wins
Only four bowlers have won the Purple Cap more than once, which shows how hard it is to stay at the top of the wicket charts across full seasons. No bowler has won it three times yet.
| Bowler | Purple Caps | Winning Seasons | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dwayne Bravo | 2 | 2013, 2015 | Chennai Super Kings |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 | 2016, 2017 | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| Harshal Patel | 2 | 2021, 2024 | Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2 | 2020, 2026 | Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans |
Dwayne Bravo was the first to win it twice, in 2013 and 2015, both times for Chennai Super Kings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then won back to back caps in 2016 and 2017 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Harshal Patel is the only bowler to win it with two different teams, and his wickets year by year show how his two peak seasons came three years apart. Rabada joined the club in 2026, six years after his first cap with Delhi Capitals.
What This Record Tells Us
Pace bowling rules this award. Sixteen of the nineteen Purple Caps have gone to fast bowlers. Only three spinners have broken through: Pragyan Ojha in 2010, Imran Tahir in 2019 and Yuzvendra Chahal in 2022. Wrist spin and left arm orthodox spin can win it, but raw pace and new ball swing remain the surer route.
The 32 wicket season is the gold standard. Dwayne Bravo set it in 2013 and Harshal Patel matched it in 2021, and nobody has gone past it. Most winning tallies sit between 22 and 30 wickets, so a bowler who takes around 25 wickets in a season is usually in the race at the business end.
You do not need to lift the trophy to win the cap. Andrew Tye won it in 2018 for a Kings XI Punjab side that missed the playoffs, and Rabada won it in 2026 even though Gujarat Titans lost the final. Individual wicket taking and team success do not always move together.
Chennai Super Kings lead the teams with the most Purple Cap wins with four, but Gujarat Titans are catching up fast with three wins in the last four seasons. The full IPL 2026 bowling stats show how Rabada pulled clear of Bhuvneshwar Kumar only in the knockout stage. For the career numbers behind these peak seasons, see the best bowling average in IPL and best bowling strike rate in IPL lists.
Proven wicket takers remain the most prized assets in the league, and teams will be hunting the next Purple Cap contender at the IPL 2027 auction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Purple Cap in IPL 2026?
Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap with 29 wickets in 17 matches. He sealed it with a wicket in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, finishing one ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar on 28.
Who has won the most Purple Caps in IPL history?
Four bowlers share the record with two Purple Caps each: Dwayne Bravo (2013, 2015), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2016, 2017), Harshal Patel (2021, 2024) and Kagiso Rabada (2020, 2026). Nobody has won it three times.
What is the most wickets taken by a Purple Cap winner in one season?
32 wickets, achieved twice: by Dwayne Bravo for Chennai Super Kings in 2013 and by Harshal Patel for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021.
What is the lowest wicket tally to win the Purple Cap?
21 wickets by Pragyan Ojha of Deccan Chargers in 2010. It remains the only time the winning tally has stayed below 22.
Which team has the most Purple Cap wins?
Chennai Super Kings with four wins in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019. Gujarat Titans are next with three wins in 2023, 2025 and 2026.
Has a spinner ever won the Purple Cap?
Yes, three times. Pragyan Ojha won it in 2010, Imran Tahir in 2019 and Yuzvendra Chahal in 2022. Every other winner has been a fast bowler.
What happens if two bowlers finish level on wickets?
The bowler with the better economy rate wins the Purple Cap.
Who won the first ever Purple Cap?
Sohail Tanvir of Rajasthan Royals won the first Purple Cap in 2008 with 22 wickets in 11 matches.
Statistics updated through: 11 October 2026
