Kagiso Rabada reached 50 wickets in the Indian Premier League in only 27 matches. That is the fastest any bowler has reached the mark in IPL history. He set the record in 2020 while playing for Delhi Capitals. His 50th wicket came against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah, when he dismissed Faf du Plessis. The record matters because 50 wickets is a strong sign of trust. A bowler reaches it quickly only when a captain keeps giving him the ball in big moments, with the new ball, in the middle overs, or at the death. This article lists the fastest bowlers to 50 IPL wickets, explains how each of them got there, and shows why Rabada’s start still stands apart.
Rabada is the only bowler to reach 50 IPL wickets in fewer than 30 matches. Sunil Narine is next, with 32 matches, and Lasith Malinga follows with 33 matches. Khaleel Ahmed is the fastest Indian bowler to the mark, with 35 matches, a total he shares with Imran Tahir. The list below covers the ten fastest names, with the match count that defines each place on it.
IPL Stats: Fastest to 50 Wickets Overview
| Record | Holder | Number | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fastest to 50 IPL wickets | Kagiso Rabada | 27 matches | Delhi Capitals, 2020, against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah |
| Fastest spinner to 50 IPL wickets | Sunil Narine | 32 matches | Kolkata Knight Riders, 2014 |
| Fastest Indian to 50 IPL wickets | Khaleel Ahmed | 35 matches | Delhi Capitals, 2023, against Lucknow Super Giants |
| Most recent entry near the top | Josh Hazlewood | 36 matches | Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 2025, against Rajasthan Royals |
Fifty wickets in the IPL is not a one season prize. It rewards a bowler who stays fit, keeps his place, and keeps taking wickets when batters are trying to score fast. That is why the fastest list is full of bowlers who went on to long and successful IPL careers.
Top 10 Fastest Bowlers to 50 IPL Wickets
| Rank | Bowler | Matches to 50 Wickets | Bowling Style | Milestone Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kagiso Rabada | 27 | Fast bowling | 2020, Delhi Capitals against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah, dismissed Faf du Plessis for his 50th wicket |
| 2 | Sunil Narine | 32 | Off spin | 2014, Kolkata Knight Riders, fastest spinner to the mark |
| 3 | Lasith Malinga | 33 | Fast bowling | 2011, Mumbai Indians, famous for his yorkers at the death |
| 4 | Khaleel Ahmed | 35 | Left arm fast bowling | 2023, Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants, dismissed Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran in that match |
| 4 | Imran Tahir | 35 | Leg spin | Later won the Purple Cap with Chennai Super Kings in 2019, with 26 wickets |
| 6 | Mitchell McClenaghan | 36 | Left arm fast bowling | Mumbai Indians bowler, a regular new ball option for the team |
| 6 | Josh Hazlewood | 36 | Fast bowling | 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Rajasthan Royals, dismissed Shimron Hetmyer in a four wicket spell |
| 8 | Amit Mishra | 37 | Leg spin | Former fastest Indian to the mark, before Khaleel Ahmed passed him in 2023 |
| 9 | Anrich Nortje | 38 | Fast bowling | Delhi Capitals, had 50 wickets in 38 matches by May 2023 |
| 10 | Mitchell Johnson | 39 | Left arm fast bowling | Played in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders |
The gap at the top is clear. Rabada reached 50 wickets five matches sooner than Narine, and six matches sooner than Malinga. No other bowler has reached the mark in fewer than 30 matches. The next group, from Narine to Hazlewood, all needed between 32 and 36 matches, which shows how hard it is to stay close to Rabada’s pace.
Record History
Malinga reached 50 wickets in 33 matches in 2011, and set an early standard for fast bowlers in the IPL. Narine then moved the mark forward in 2014, when he reached 50 wickets in 32 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders. His record stood for six years. Batters found him hard to read, and he bowled most of his overs in the middle of the innings, where wickets are often harder to find than with the new ball.
Rabada broke that record in 2020. He took 25 wickets in 2019 and 30 wickets in 2020 for Delhi Capitals, and won the Purple Cap in 2020 as Delhi reached their first IPL final. When he set the 50 wicket record, he had also needed the fewest balls to the mark, with 616 balls, ahead of Malinga on 749 balls and Narine on 760 balls at that time. He later became the fastest bowler to 100 IPL wickets as well, in 64 matches, ahead of Malinga on 70 matches. Readers can compare that next milestone in the fastest to 150 wickets list.
Khaleel Ahmed gave the record a new Indian chapter in 2023. He reached 50 wickets in his 35th match, for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants, and passed Amit Mishra’s previous Indian mark of 37 matches. Hazlewood then joined the leading group in 2025, when he reached 50 wickets in his 36th match for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Rajasthan Royals.
| Year | Bowler | Matches to 50 Wickets | What Changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | 33 | Early standard for fast bowlers, built on yorkers at the death |
| 2014 | Sunil Narine | 32 | Moved the mark forward by one match, as a spinner bowling mainly in the middle overs |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | 27 | Broke the record by five matches, and became the only bowler under 30 matches |
| 2023 | Khaleel Ahmed | 35 | Set a new fastest Indian mark, passing Amit Mishra on 37 matches |
| 2025 | Josh Hazlewood | 36 | Newest entry near the top, level with Mitchell McClenaghan |
What This Record Tells Us
Speed alone does not explain this list. Rabada and Malinga bowled in the phases where wickets are most likely, with the new ball and at the death, but they also had to control runs while doing it. Narine and Tahir show the other route. They bowled in the middle overs, forced batters to take risks, and still reached 50 wickets quickly. That mix of pace and spin at the top of the list is a good guide to how IPL attacks are built.
The list also shows how much regular chances matter. A bowler who bowls four overs in most matches, and who is trusted when the game is tight, can build a wicket total fast. A bowler used only to stop runs will take longer, even if he is hard to score against. Teams planning for a new season still look for that same mix, and the IPL 2027 retention rules shape which bowlers they can keep and build around.
Finally, a fast start does not always mean a long stay at the top. Rabada kept his pace and reached 100 wickets fastest as well. Others on this list had shorter peaks, or moved between teams. The 50 wicket mark is therefore best read as a sign of early impact, not as a promise about a full career. For context on the bowlers who kept taking wickets late in games, see the most wickets in death overs list, and for the season prize that many of these bowlers chased, see the Purple Cap winners list. Sunil Narine’s year by year wickets show how one fast starter built a long IPL career after his early record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the fastest bowler to 50 IPL wickets?
Kagiso Rabada is the fastest. He reached 50 IPL wickets in only 27 matches, for Delhi Capitals in 2020, against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah.
Who is the fastest Indian bowler to 50 IPL wickets?
Khaleel Ahmed is the fastest Indian. He reached 50 IPL wickets in 35 matches, for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants in 2023.
Who is the fastest spinner to 50 IPL wickets?
Sunil Narine is the fastest spinner. He reached 50 IPL wickets in 32 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014.
How many matches did Lasith Malinga need to reach 50 IPL wickets?
Lasith Malinga needed 33 matches. He reached the mark in 2011 for Mumbai Indians, and later finished his IPL career with 170 wickets.
How many matches did Josh Hazlewood need to reach 50 IPL wickets?
Josh Hazlewood needed 36 matches. He reached the mark in 2025 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Rajasthan Royals.
Who is the fastest bowler to 100 IPL wickets?
Kagiso Rabada is also the fastest to 100 IPL wickets, in 64 matches. Lasith Malinga is next on that list, with 70 matches. For more on bowling averages across careers, see the best bowling averages in IPL list.
Where can this record be checked?
The record can be checked on the official IPL site and on ESPNcricinfo stats pages, which carry match by match bowling records for IPL players.
Statistics updated through: 2 November 2026
