The fastest to 150 wickets in IPL history is Lasith Malinga, who reached the mark in only 105 matches. That record has stood since 2017, and no bowler has come close to matching that speed in terms of matches played. Malinga was the first bowler ever to take 150 IPL wickets, and he set the standard that every fast bowler and spinner after him has chased.
Speed to 150 wickets can be measured in two ways. The first way counts matches. The second way counts balls bowled. Malinga leads the match count by a clear margin. Harshal Patel leads the ball count after his record breaking spell in 2025. Both measures tell a story about control, fitness and the ability to take wickets in big moments.
This article lists the ten fastest bowlers to 150 IPL wickets by matches played. It also shows the fastest five by balls bowled, and traces how the 150 wicket club grew from one man in 2017 to a select group of bowlers by 2025.
IPL Stats: Fastest to 150 Wickets Overview
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fastest by matches | Lasith Malinga, 105 matches |
| Fastest by balls | Harshal Patel, 2381 balls |
| First bowler to 150 wickets | Lasith Malinga, 2017 |
| Fastest Indian by matches | Harshal Patel, 117 matches |
| Second fastest by matches | Harshal Patel, 117 matches |
| Third fastest by matches | Yuzvendra Chahal, 118 matches |
Malinga reached 150 wickets for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Daredevils at Delhi on 6 May 2017. His 150th victim was Shreyas Iyer, caught by Harbhajan Singh, and Malinga finished that match with figures of 2 for 7. Harshal Patel reached the same mark eight years later, for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Lucknow Super Giants at Lucknow on 19 May 2025, when Aiden Markram was his 150th victim.
Top 10 Fastest Bowlers to 150 IPL Wickets
| Rank | Bowler | Matches to 150 Wickets | Balls to 150 Wickets | Milestone Season | Milestone Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lasith Malinga | 105 | 2444 | 2017 | Mumbai Indians against Delhi Daredevils at Delhi, victim Shreyas Iyer |
| 2 | Harshal Patel | 117 | 2381 | 2025 | Sunrisers Hyderabad against Lucknow Super Giants at Lucknow, victim Aiden Markram |
| 3 | Yuzvendra Chahal | 118 | 2543 | 2022 | Against Lucknow Super Giants at Wankhede Stadium |
| 4 | Rashid Khan | 122 | Not officially confirmed | 2025 | Gujarat Titans against Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad, victim Priyansh Arya |
| 5 | Jasprit Bumrah | 124 | 2832 | 2024 | Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, victim Abhishek Porel |
| 6 | Dwayne Bravo | 137 | 2656 | Not officially confirmed | Not officially confirmed |
| 7 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 138 | Not officially confirmed | 2022 | Sunrisers Hyderabad against Punjab Kings at Mumbai, 17 April 2022 |
| 8 | Amit Mishra | 140 | Not officially confirmed | 2019 | Delhi Capitals against Mumbai Indians at Delhi, victim Rohit Sharma |
| 9 | Sunil Narine | 143 | Not officially confirmed | 2022 | Kolkata Knight Riders against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, victim Lalit Yadav |
| 10 | Piyush Chawla | 157 | Not officially confirmed | 2019 | Not officially confirmed |
The gap between first and second place is the most striking part of this list. Malinga needed 105 matches. Harshal Patel, in second place, needed 117 matches. That is a gap of 12 matches, which shows how far ahead Malinga was. Chahal follows Patel by only one match, at 118, and Rashid Khan follows at 122. Bumrah completes the top five at 124 matches.
Readers who follow Harshal Patel season by season can see how his late career surge pushed him into second place in our Harshal Patel wickets by year guide. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, seventh on this list, is covered in the same way in our Bhuvneshwar Kumar wickets by year guide.
Fastest to 150 Wickets by Balls Bowled
| Rank | Bowler | Balls to 150 Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harshal Patel | 2381 |
| 2 | Lasith Malinga | 2444 |
| 3 | Yuzvendra Chahal | 2543 |
| 4 | Dwayne Bravo | 2656 |
| 5 | Jasprit Bumrah | 2832 |
By balls bowled, Harshal Patel is the fastest bowler to 150 IPL wickets. He needed 2381 balls, which is 63 balls fewer than Malinga. That is a little more than ten overs of bowling saved across a whole career to that point. Chahal is third at 2543 balls, Bravo fourth at 2656 balls, and Bumrah fifth at 2832 balls.
This second table matters because bowlers do not always bowl in every match they play, and a bowler who takes wickets in fewer balls is striking more often. Patel built his record on slower balls and yorkers at the death, and his 2025 milestone came with his very first wicket of that match against Lucknow Super Giants.
Record History
| Year | Bowler | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Lasith Malinga | Became the first bowler to take 150 IPL wickets, in 105 matches |
| 2019 | Amit Mishra | Became the first Indian bowler to take 150 IPL wickets, in 140 matches |
| 2019 | Piyush Chawla | Joined the 150 wicket club in the same season, in 157 matches |
| 2022 | Sunil Narine | Became the first overseas spinner to take 150 IPL wickets, in 143 matches |
| 2022 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Became the first Indian fast bowler to take 150 IPL wickets, in 138 matches |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Reached 150 wickets in 118 matches, the third fastest by matches at that time |
| 2024 | Jasprit Bumrah | Reached 150 wickets in 124 matches, all for one team, Mumbai Indians |
| 2025 | Rashid Khan | Reached 150 wickets in 122 matches, moving ahead of Bumrah on the list |
| 2025 | Harshal Patel | Reached 150 wickets in 117 matches and set the balls bowled record at 2381 balls |
For two years, Malinga stood alone in the 150 wicket club. Mishra broke that spell in 2019 and became the first Indian bowler to reach the mark. Chawla and Harbhajan Singh joined in the same season, which made 2019 the year the club grew from one name to a small group.
The year 2022 added three more names. Narine, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Chahal all reached 150 wickets in that season, and Chahal did it faster than all of them in match count terms. After a quiet 2023 for this record, Bumrah reached the mark in 2024. Then 2025 changed the top of the list again, with Rashid Khan moving into fourth place and Harshal Patel moving into second place by matches and first place by balls.
What This Record Tells Us
Fast bowlers and spinners both appear in the top ten, which shows that speed to 150 wickets is not only about pace. Malinga, Patel, Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bumrah are fast bowlers. Chahal, Rashid Khan, Mishra, Narine and Chawla are spinners. The mix is even, five and five.
Loyalty also plays a part. Malinga took all his IPL wickets for Mumbai Indians. Narine took his for Kolkata Knight Riders. Bumrah took his first 150 for Mumbai Indians as well. Bowlers who stay with one team get regular games in familiar conditions, and that steady run of matches helps them reach milestones sooner.
The record also rewards bowlers who bowl in the toughest overs. Patel, Bravo and Bumrah all bowl regularly at the death, when batters attack hard and wickets fall more often. Chahal and Rashid Khan bowl in the middle overs, when batters must take risks against spin to keep the score moving. Different skills, same result: wickets at a fast rate.
Finally, the list shows how hard Malinga’s match record is to break. A new bowler would need to average close to one and a half wickets in every match for more than 100 matches just to match it. Patel came closest in recent years, and he still finished 12 matches behind. That is why Malinga still leads this list, even after Patel broke his balls bowled record.
For wider bowling context, see our Purple Cap winners list, our most wickets in death overs guide, and our most wickets against each team guide. The 2025 season picture is covered in IPL 2025 most wickets. Official season records can be checked on the official IPL site and ESPNcricinfo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the fastest bowler to 150 wickets in IPL?
Lasith Malinga is the fastest by matches, reaching 150 wickets in 105 matches. Harshal Patel is the fastest by balls bowled, reaching 150 wickets in 2381 balls.
How many matches did Harshal Patel need to reach 150 IPL wickets?
Harshal Patel needed 117 matches. He reached the mark on 19 May 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Lucknow Super Giants, when Aiden Markram was his 150th victim.
Who was the first bowler to take 150 IPL wickets?
Lasith Malinga was the first. He reached 150 wickets on 6 May 2017 for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Daredevils at Delhi, with Shreyas Iyer as his 150th victim.
Who is the fastest Indian bowler to 150 IPL wickets?
Harshal Patel is the fastest Indian bowler to 150 IPL wickets, in 117 matches. Yuzvendra Chahal is next among Indian bowlers, at 118 matches.
How many matches did Jasprit Bumrah need to reach 150 IPL wickets?
Jasprit Bumrah needed 124 matches. He reached the mark on 7 April 2024 for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, with Abhishek Porel as his 150th victim.
How many matches did Rashid Khan need to reach 150 IPL wickets?
Rashid Khan needed 122 matches. He reached the mark on 25 March 2025 for Gujarat Titans against Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad, with Priyansh Arya as his 150th victim.
Who are the top five fastest bowlers to 150 IPL wickets?
The top five by matches are Lasith Malinga at 105, Harshal Patel at 117, Yuzvendra Chahal at 118, Rashid Khan at 122, and Jasprit Bumrah at 124.
Statistics updated through: 2 November 2026
