At the inception of IPL, batsmen were in better demand than the bowlers. However, the perception of the game has rotated now. The bowlers are finally getting their due in the competition. Pat Cummins’ record-breaking price-tag in the IPL 2020 auctions is proof of the same.
For a bowler to make an impact on his team’s performance, it is very hard. He just has four overs to impress, and all his skills have to come out within these 24 deliveries. However, a few bowlers in IPL have done this successfully. Their respective teams are dependent on them, and hence, invariably, these bowlers complete their quota every game.
In this article, we talk about the players who have bowled the highest number of overs in IPL so far. All these players are veterans in the competition and have been there since season one.
Note:- The below numbers are as on Game 30 of IPL 2020 between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals
1. Harbhajan Singh – 562.2 Overs
Harbhajan Singh happens to be one of the most experienced bowlers in the competition. The Punjab-spinner has been bowling since season one, and hence, he has bowled plenty of overs in the competition. In the combined 160 games for MI & CSK, Bhajji has rolled his arm over for 562.2 overs. He has taken 150 wickets and conceded runs at an economy of 7.08.
2. Piyush Chawla – 538.4 Overs
Piyush Chawla is a surprise in this list, considering he has always been under the radar. In fact, if CSK reaches the playoffs and Piyush completes his quota in every game until then, he will actually be at the top of this list. Starting his IPL career with KXIP, Piyush’s bulk work came about at KKR before he made the move to CSK at the start of this edition. In the 163 games he has played so far, Piyush has bowled a total of 538.4 overs.
3. Amit Mishra – 526.5 Overs
Although many don’t see it this way, it cannot be denied that Amit Mishra is indeed one of the best spinners who have played IPL. In 150 games, the Haryana leggie has completed a total of 526.5 overs. During this period, he has collected 160 wickets at an average of 24.19 and conceded runs at an economy of 7.35. Amit has played for Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals in his IPL career. If not for the finger injury which ended this season for Amit, he might as well have moved up at least one place in this chart.
4. Ravichandran Ashwin – 506.2 Overs
There is actually no surprise in seeing Ravichandran Ashwin on this list. Despite being an inexperienced player when the IPL started in 2008, Ashwin made the right moves to establish himself as a quality cricketer. The bulk of his bowling has been for CSK while Ashwin also played two seasons for Kings XI Punjab. In this edition, the Tamil Nadu man is playing for the Delhi Capitals. Ashwin has played 145 games in IPL and has bowled a total of 506.2 overs. He is also one man on this list who still has plenty of games to play this edition.
5. Lasith Malinga – 471.1 Overs
Of course, Lasith Malinga is part of the list. Despite missing many games through injury, it is surprising that he is part of this table. This shows how important he is to Mumbai Indians when he does take the field. The Sri Lankan pacer has collected a whopping 170 wickets in the 471.1 overs he has bowled so far. He has played a total of 122 games, which means Malinga has just missed 16.5 overs for his team.
