Purple Cap in IPL 2024

Batters win you matches. Bowlers win you tournaments. Fittingly, the team with the best bowling attack, Kolkata Knight Riders won the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This IPL season was defined by massive scores with flat pitches on offer but some of the bowlers, even then, found a way out to pick wickets consistently throughout the season.

Three KKR’s bowlers are among top 10 highest wicket-takers of IPL 2024 which proves how good they were as a bowling unit. Meanwhile, bowlers from other teams also did well throughout the season but didn’t get enough support from the other end. Nevertheless, their consistent efforts helped them become the top bowlers of the season.

Most runs in IPL 2024: Orange Cap in IPL 2024

Most wickets IPL 2024 – Purple Cap in IPL 2024

Harshal Patel (PBKS) – 24 wickets

Punjab Kings might have finished at ninth place in the points table this season but Harshal Patel ended up winning the purple cap for picking most wickets in the season. The fast bowler scalped 24 wickets in IPL 2024 in 14 matches sending down 49 overs and picked wickets at an average of 19.87 and a strike rate of 12.25.

His economy of 9.73 might seem to be on the higher side and even Harshal endured bad days with the ball. But he kept striking with the ball in almost every match picking multiple three-wicket hauls. Harshal’s efforts didn’t help Punjab win more than five matches this season but his performance bodes well for the franchise in terms of planning for the mega auction.

Varun Chakaravarthy (KKR) – 21 wickets

Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was the top wicket-taker for KKR in IPL 2023 and he repeated his heroics more effectively even in this season. Chakaravarthy kept the batters on the tenterhooks all the time with his variations and picked up a staggering 21 wickets at an average of 19.14 and an average of 14.28. His economy of 8.04 proves the way he controlled the run-scoring with his variations.

Varun finished his quota of four overs in almost every match sending down 50 overs in 14 innings conceding only 402 runs which is a great effort given the way the bowlers were taken apart for runs this year. Varun Chakaravarthy was one of the vital cogs of KKR squad that eventually ended up lifting the title for the third time.

Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – 20 wickets

Even though he ended as the third highest wicket-taker of IPL 2024, Jasprit Bumrah has to be the best bowler of the season. The man stepped up for the Mumbai Indians in almost every match accounting for a total of 20 wickets this season. Bumrah played 13 matches before finally resting in the dead rubber final league stage and accounted for as many wickets at an average of 16.8 and a strike rate of 15.55. 

His economy of 6.48 is the best among all top 10 bowlers as he conceded only 336 runs in 51.5 overs he bowled this year. Moreover, he is also one of the only three bowlers to pick up a five-wicket haul this season. It is only a pity that his team didn’t make it to the playoffs with MI’s rest of the bowling attack being very poor on most of the occasions.

Andre Russell (KKR) – 19 wickets

Andre Russell, most of the time, makes the headlines for his swashbuckling knocks with the bat. But this season, KKR didn’t need his batting much, in fact, not even once while chasing a score. On the other hand, Russell stepped up with the ball for the champions showcasing his skills bowling mostly in the death overs.

Russell bowled only 29.2 overs in 14 innings and conceded runs at an economy of 10.05 but the man ended up picking 19 wickets at an average of 15.52 and a strike rate of 9.26. His best figures of 3/19 prove that the man from the Caribbean picked wickets at crucial junctures in almost every match for KKR.

Harshit Rana (KKR) – 19 wickets

Harshit Rana has to be the find of IPL 2024 not only for KKR but also for Indian cricket. The fast bowler was fined and banned this season for his aggression but that didn’t stop him from delivering his best in 11 innings this season. Rana ended up picking 19 wickets in 11 appearances with the ball at a brilliant strike rate of 13.31 and an averag of 20.15.

His economy of above 9 clears that he bowled in toughest phases in the innings but his line and lengths were spot on most of the times. Rana certainly has the bright future and he proved his skills in 42.1 overs that he sent down in IPL 2024.

Leading wicket-taker of each IPL team

T Natarajan (SRH) – 19 wickets

T Natarajan redeemed his credentials as a T20 bowler after a long time this season. Moreover, the left-arm fast bowler remained fit for an entire season and that reaped him the rewards as he is the joint-fourth highest wicket-taker of IPL 2024 edition. Natarajan picked up 19 wickets in 14 matches this year while playing for the runners up Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He sent down 52.1 overs conceding 465 runs at an economy of 9.05 but was one of the few bowlers to deliver a maiden over. This is a fantastic effort in a season when the 200-run mark was crossed around 37 times and Natarajan’s best effort of 4/19 in one of the games just proves his efficiency for SRH in IPL 2024.

Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) – 19 wickets

After Harshal Patel, the go-to bowler for the Punjab Kings’ skipper this season was left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh. He is one of the bowlers India has picked for the T20 World Cup and the man showcased stunning form in IPL 2024. Arshdeep bowled in the powerplay and at the death most this season and his economy of 10.03 shows that he was taken for a lot of runs.

But picking up 19 wickets at an average of 26.57 and a strike rate of 15.89 is certainly not a poor effort by any means. Arshdeep registered the best figures of 4/29 this season and was also one of the very few bowlers with a four-wicket haul in an edition.

Avesh Khan (RR) – 19 wickets

Avesh Khan finished his IPL 2024 season as the highest wicket-taker for the Rajasthan Royals. In fact, one can say that the fast bowler had his best season in his IPL career so far. Avesh dismissed the batters a stunning 19 times in 15 innings while sending down 54.5 overs. His tactics while bowling at the death were impeccable and that earned him wickets most of the time.

Avesh accounted for 19 wickets at an average of 27.68 and a strike rate of 17.31 with his economy rate being 9.59. He is part of the travelling reserves for India at the T20 World Cup and would be keen on performing if he gets a chance to represent the men in blue over the next month or so.

It’s Harshal Patel who receives the Purple Cap award! 🥳

A wonderful season with the ball bagging 2️⃣4️⃣ scalps from 1️⃣4️⃣ matches 🫡#TATAIPL | #Final | #TheFinalCall | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/hGvh6sXgQt

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2024

Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) – 18 wickets

Yuzvendra Chahal, the leg-spinner, spun the web around the batters especially in the first half of IPL 2024. Chahal bowled beautifully to start off his IPL season on a high before his form waned off almost completely at the business end of the competition. The Indian leggie was once the proud owner of the purple cap but lost steam as the tournament progressed.

Interestingly, his performances in the first half, earned Chahal a place in the main squad for the T20 World Cup. But since then, he was expensive in his spell that spoiled his figures overall. Chahal ended with 18 wickets in 15 innings at an average of 30.33 and a strike rate of 19.33 with his economy rate reading 9.41. Overall, he sent down 58 overs while conceding 546 runs this season.

Pat Cummins (SRH) – 18 wickets

Is there anything left that Pat Cummins can’t do? He won the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup as the Australia captain and took SRH to the final in his maiden captaincy effort not only in the IPL but in T20 cricket. Cummins led SRh superbly but at the same time, his bowling form didn’t affect as he ended the season with a massive 18 wickets in 16 overs.

However, Cummins was the most expensive bowler conceding most runs this season (566 runs in 61 overs) at an economy of 9.27. Moreover, the Aussie Test and ODI skipper picked his wickets at an average of 31.44 and a strike rate of 20.33. Despite his figures being on the higher side, Cummins kept picking wickets and with Natarajan by his side, the man made sure SRH got the wickets at the right time which took them to the final in the end.