Karn Sharma IPL Stats tell the story of one of the league’s luckiest and most travelled spinners. Across 90 matches for four franchises, the Meerut leg-spinner collected 83 wickets, but the numbers alone do not explain his place in IPL history: he is the only player to win three consecutive IPL titles with three different teams — Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, Mumbai Indians in 2017 and Chennai Super Kings in 2018.
Sharma’s career moved in clear phases. There was the forgotten one-match RCB debut in 2009, the breakout as SRH’s lead spinner in 2014 with 15 wickets, the career-best 4/16 against Kolkata Knight Riders during Mumbai’s 2017 title run, and a final bow in 2025 when he took seven wickets in six games as an impact bowler for MI. On 22 August 2026 he announced his retirement from all cricket and said he would move into coaching. This page brings together his complete IPL record: season by season numbers, auction prices, teams and the story behind the famous title hat-trick.
Editorial illustration, not a photograph of a real match.
Karn Sharma IPL Stats Overview
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Karn Vinod Sharma |
| IPL Debut | 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| Role | Bowler (leg-spin) |
| Batting Style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm legbreak googly |
| Current IPL Team | Retired — last played for Mumbai Indians (2025) |
| IPL Matches | 90 |
| IPL Runs | 352 |
| Highest Score | 39 not out |
| IPL Wickets | 83 |
| Best Bowling | 4/16 |
| IPL 2027 Team | Not officially confirmed — retired from all cricket in August 2026 |
| IPL 2027 Price | Not applicable — retired |
Who Is Karn Sharma?
Karn Vinod Sharma was born on 23 October 1987 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. A left-hand batter and right-arm legbreak googly bowler, he built his career as a genuine all-rounder for Railways in domestic cricket, where he also turned out for Andhra and Vidarbha at various stages. On his first-class debut in the 2007-08 Ranji season he scored 120 as a specialist batter, and across 90 first-class matches he finished with 2,734 runs and 281 wickets, including a best of 8/38.
His international window was brief but distinctive: all four of his India caps came in 2014. He made his T20I debut against England in September, taking the wicket of Joe Root, played two ODIs against Sri Lanka in November, and made his Test debut against Australia at Adelaide in December, where he took four wickets and dismissed David Warner in both innings. For most of his career, though, his biggest stage was the IPL.
Karn Sharma IPL Teams
| Seasons | Team | Matches | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 1 | Played |
| 2013–2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 46 | Played |
| 2017 | Mumbai Indians | 9 | Played |
| 2018–2021 | Chennai Super Kings | 12 | Played (no games in 2021) |
| 2022–2024 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 16 | Played (no games in 2022) |
| 2025 | Mumbai Indians | 6 | Played |
Sharma’s franchise map reads like a tour of the league’s most successful sides. After a single game for RCB in 2009 he vanished from the IPL for three seasons before Sunrisers Hyderabad made him their lead spinner. Title-winning stints followed with MI and then CSK, where he played under MS Dhoni from 2018 to 2021. A quiet second spell at RCB (2022–24) under Faf du Plessis brought a useful 2023 return, and Mumbai Indians brought him back for 2025 at his base price. After MI released him ahead of the 2026 mega auction and he went unsold, he finished his career with the Kanpur Superstars in the UP T20 League before retiring in August 2026.
Karn Sharma IPL 2024 Stats
| Metric | Batting | Bowling |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 9 | 9 |
| Runs / Wickets | 31 | 7 |
| Highest / Best | 20 | 2/29 |
| Average | 10.33 | 36.29 |
| Strike Rate / Economy | 206.67 | 10.58 |
Retained by RCB for ₹50 lakh, Sharma featured in nine games in 2024 but found the going expensive, conceding more than 10.5 an over in a season where batting dominated across the league. His batting remained a small bonus rather than a role — 31 runs at a strike rate above 200, including a 20 that hinted at his old lower-order hitting.
Karn Sharma IPL 2025 Stats
| Metric | Batting | Bowling |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 6 | 6 |
| Runs / Wickets | 1 | 7 |
| Highest / Best | 1 not out | 3/23 |
| Average | – | 18.29 |
| Strike Rate / Economy | 100.00 | 8.53 |
Mumbai Indians picked him up for ₹50 lakh at the 2025 mega auction and used him largely as an Impact Player. The role suited him: seven wickets in six outings at a respectable economy of 8.53, with 3/23 as his best return. His final IPL appearance came against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, where he finished with 1/31. It proved to be a tidy last chapter — tighter and more economical than his previous two seasons.
Karn Sharma IPL 2026 Stats
Karn Sharma did not play in IPL 2026. Mumbai Indians released him before the 2026 mega auction and he went unsold, so his career totals stayed frozen at 90 matches and 83 wickets. He continued playing domestic T20 cricket in the UP T20 League for Kanpur Superstars through the middle of 2026.
Karn Sharma IPL 2027 Stats
IPL 2027 statistics are not available yet because the season has not started. Beyond that, there will be no 2027 comeback to track: Sharma announced his retirement from all cricket on 22 August 2026, after Kanpur Superstars’ UP T20 League match against Meerut Mavericks, and played his final competitive game on 25 August 2026 — taking the wicket of Rinku Singh to finish on a high. He said at the time that he would be available for coaching and other roles in the game.
Karn Sharma IPL 2027 Team and Price
There is no confirmed IPL 2027 team or price for Karn Sharma, and there will not be one — he retired from playing in August 2026 and will not enter the IPL 2027 auction. His last franchise contract was the ₹50 lakh deal with Mumbai Indians for the 2025 season. Any future association with the league would come in a coaching or support capacity, which has not been officially confirmed.
Karn Sharma IPL Career Batting Stats
| Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 41 | 352 | 39* | 14.08 | 119.32 | 0 | 0 |
Karn Sharma IPL Career Bowling Stats
| Matches | Overs | Runs | Wickets | BBI | Avg | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 264.1 | 2215 | 83 | 4/16 | 26.69 | 8.38 | 19.10 | 2 | 0 |
Karn Sharma IPL Stats by Year
| Season | Team | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 50s | 100s | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | RCB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 33.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | SRH | 13 | 7 | 85 | 39* | 21.25 | 98.83 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6.60 |
| 2014 | SRH | 14 | 8 | 42 | 17* | 10.50 | 144.82 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7.42 |
| 2015 | SRH | 14 | 9 | 104 | 32 | 17.33 | 122.35 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8.33 |
| 2016 | SRH | 5 | 3 | 36 | 26* | – | 120.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.46 |
| 2017 | MI | 9 | 6 | 49 | 19 | 8.16 | 119.51 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 6.97 |
| 2018 | CSK | 6 | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9.36 |
| 2019 | CSK | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.64 |
| 2020 | CSK | 5 | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8.68 |
| 2021 | CSK | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022 | RCB | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2023 | RCB | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1.50 | 60.00 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10.37 |
| 2024 | RCB | 9 | 3 | 31 | 20 | 10.33 | 206.67 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10.58 |
| 2025 | MI | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1* | – | 100.00 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8.53 |
| Career | – | 90 | 41 | 352 | 39* | 14.08 | 119.32 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 8.38 |
Karn Sharma IPL Highest Score
His highest IPL score is 39 not out, made for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Chennai Super Kings in 2013, when he walked in with his side staring at their first home defeat of the season and counterattacked to give the chase late life. It remained his career best across 41 innings, a reminder that his batting was always a bonus: he never scored an IPL fifty, but his strike rate of 119.32 shows he usually swung usefully when he got the chance.
Karn Sharma IPL Wickets and Best Bowling
Sharma’s best IPL figures are 4/16 for Rohit Sharma‘s Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017 — a spell in which he dismissed Sunil Narine, Gautam Gambhir, Ishan Jaggi and Colin de Grandhomme. He recorded two four-wicket hauls in his career (the other being 4/38 in 2014) but never managed a five-for. His most valuable night with the ball may have been the 2017 final, where he sent down 4 overs for just 18 runs, including 12 dot balls, as Mumbai squeezed home against Rising Pune Supergiant.
Karn Sharma IPL Auction Price History
| Season | Team | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | RCB | ₹20 lakh | Uncapped contract |
| 2013 | SRH | ₹30 lakh | Uncapped contract |
| 2014 | SRH | ₹3.75 crore | Auction — highest-paid uncapped Indian |
| 2015 | SRH | ₹3.75 crore | Retained |
| 2016 | SRH | ₹3.75 crore | Retained |
| 2017 | MI | ₹3.2 crore | Auction |
| 2018 | CSK | ₹5 crore | Auction |
| 2019 | CSK | ₹5 crore | Retained |
| 2020 | CSK | ₹5 crore | Retained |
| 2021 | CSK | ₹5 crore | Retained |
| 2022 | RCB | ₹50 lakh | Auction |
| 2023 | RCB | ₹50 lakh | Retained |
| 2024 | RCB | ₹50 lakh | Retained |
| 2025 | MI | ₹50 lakh | Auction (base price) |
| 2026 | – | – | Released by MI, unsold at mega auction |
Karn Sharma IPL Records and Achievements
- The only player to win three consecutive IPL titles with three different franchises: SRH (2016), MI (2017), CSK (2018).
- Four IPL titles in total — the 2021 CSK triumph came as a squad member without a game that season.
- At the 2014 auction he fetched ₹3.75 crore from SRH, the highest amount paid for an uncapped Indian player that year.
- Career figures of 83 wickets from 90 matches at an economy of 8.38, with two four-wicket hauls.
- Represented India in all three international formats in 2014: one Test, two ODIs and one T20I.
- Announced his retirement from all cricket on 22 August 2026 after nearly two decades as a professional.
Karn Sharma’s IPL Performance Analysis
The arc of Sharma’s IPL career is really two careers stitched together. From 2013 to 2017 he was a frontline spinner: 11, 15 and 10 wickets in his first three SRH seasons, then the 2017 peak with Mumbai — 13 wickets at 6.97 an over, the best economy of any of his full seasons, and a final spell that genuinely mattered. The 2016 title is the odd one out in the record books: he played five games without taking a wicket and still lifted the trophy.
From 2018 onwards he became a squad man. CSK paid ₹5 crore for him but used him sparingly — 10 wickets across four seasons — and his second RCB stint showed both sides of the ageing leg-spinner: 10 wickets in just seven games in 2023, but an economy above 10, and the same story in 2024. The 2025 return to Mumbai worked better because the role was honest: bowl the middle overs as an impact option, take the occasional big wicket, and keep it tight. Seven wickets in six games at 8.53 was a respectable farewell. Economies drifted upward across his career as T20 batting grew more aggressive, but his strike rate of 19.10 balls per wicket stayed competitive to the end. What he leaves behind is the title record — three straight trophies with three different teams — which no other player can claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many wickets did Karn Sharma take in the IPL?
83 wickets in 90 matches, at an average of 26.69 and an economy rate of 8.38.
What are Karn Sharma’s best IPL bowling figures?
4/16 for Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017.
Which IPL teams did Karn Sharma play for?
Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
How many IPL titles did Karn Sharma win?
Four — with SRH in 2016, MI in 2017, and CSK in 2018 and 2021. He is the only player to win three successive titles with three different franchises.
Did Karn Sharma play in IPL 2026?
No. Mumbai Indians released him before the 2026 mega auction and he went unsold.
Has Karn Sharma retired from cricket?
Yes. He announced his retirement from all cricket on 22 August 2026 and played his last competitive match on 25 August 2026, saying he would move into coaching.
What was Karn Sharma’s IPL 2025 price and team?
Mumbai Indians bought him for ₹50 lakh (his base price) at the 2025 mega auction.
Did Karn Sharma play for India?
Yes — one Test, two ODIs and one T20I, all in 2014. His Test debut came against Australia at Adelaide, where he dismissed David Warner twice.
Sources and Data Notes
Season statistics cross-checked across CricTracker, myKhel and ESPNcricinfo-style databases; auction prices verified against Cricbuzz auction records and contemporary auction reporting; the 2009 debut appearance confirmed from ball-by-ball match logs. Retirement details are from August 2026 coverage including his official announcement after the UP T20 League fixture between Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks, plus his Wikipedia player page and the retirement announcement coverage. Statistics and player information are checked against available reliable sources and may be updated as new IPL matches, transfers, or official announcements are confirmed.
Statistics updated through: 16 October 2026
