Former Mumbai Indians bowler Praveen Kumar has bowled the most maiden overs in IPL. The Indian medium-pacer bowled 420 overs in the Indian Premier League across 119 matches and pulled off as many as 14 maiden overs in the process. He played for four different IPL teams before hanging his boots in 2017.
Nothing is more significant in T20 cricket than dot balls. With every batting team getting only 120 balls to put up a total or chase down a target, a bowler executing maiden overs is always a huge advantage. And doing that in the Indian Premier League, the most competitive T20 league out there is even more praiseworthy.
Below is the list of IPL bowlers with the most maiden overs in the tournament so far.
Most Maiden overs in IPL: Top 10 list
| Pos | Player | Matches | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Maidens | Avg | Econ |
| 1 | Praveen Kumar | 119 | 420 | 3251 | 90 | 14 | 36.12 | 7.72 |
| 2 | Irfan Pathan | 103 | 340 | 2649 | 80 | 10 | 33.11 | 7.77 |
| 3 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 132 | 491.3 | 3588 | 142 | 9 | 25.26 | 7.3 |
| 4 | Dhawal Kulkarni | 92 | 298 | 2474 | 86 | 8 | 28.76 | 8.3 |
| 5 | Lasith Malinga | 122 | 471 | 3366 | 170 | 8 | 19.8 | 7.14 |
| 6 | Sandeep Sharma | 99 | 366 | 2849 | 112 | 8 | 25.43 | 7.77 |
| 7 | Dale Steyn | 95 | 362 | 2508 | 97 | 7 | 25.85 | 6.91 |
| 8 | Deepak Chahar | 63 | 220.4 | 1722 | 59 | 6 | 29.18 | 7.8 |
| 9 | Amit Mishra | 154 | 541 | 3980 | 166 | 6 | 23.97 | 7.35 |
| 10 | Harbhajan Singh | 163 | 569.2 | 4030 | 150 | 6 | 26.86 | 7.07 |
Praveen Kumar | 14 maiden overs bowled | 119 matches
Having played for IPL teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions, Indian pacer Praveen Kumar has been a regular in the tournament from the second season until 2017. Kumar has played 119 matches throughout his Indian Premier League career, where he bowled 2524 deliveries, while maintaining a brilliant average of 7.73. His record of 14 maiden overs is still the highest in the tournament.
Irfan Pathan | 10 maiden overs | 103 IPL matches
One of the most loved players of his time, India pacer Irfan Pathan had also garnered praises for his economical bowling in the Indian Premier League. He played for five different IPL teams – Delhi Daredevils, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions – wherein he bowled 340 overs in 103 matches. The left-arm pacer was known for his movement with the new ball and that helped him bowl 10 maiden overs in IPL.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 9 maiden overs | 132 matches in IPL
One of the three players on this list who are still currently active in IPL, Bhuvneshwar Kumar could very well move up to the top with some sharp performances. Another swing bowler, who is a medium pacer, Kumar falls in the same mould as Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan, who excelled in pitching the ball impeccably on the sweet spot again and again to check runs. Bhuvi, as he is fondly called by Indian cricket fans, has bowled over 490 overs in IPL so far with nine maiden overs to his name.
Dhawal Kulkarni | 8 maidens in IPL | 92 matches
Dhawal Kulkarni might be one of the lesser-known players on this list, but the former Rajasthan Royals star was one of the most in-demand players during his days. Though his exposure to the national team was limited, Kulkarni sits ahead of IPL legend Lasith Malinga in terms of the number of maiden overs bowled in the tournament. He didn’t even play 100 matches in IPL, but still managed to get eight maidens and ended his IPL stint with an economy of 8.3.
Lasith Malinga | 8 maiden overs | 122 matches
Arguably the most complete bowler on this list, Mumbai Indians’ Lasith Malinga had the perfect blend of economy and strike rate in his arsenal. Not only could the Sri Lankan pacer manage his line and length optimally, but he also took wickets at regular intervals with his unplayable yorkers. It wasn’t until IPL 2022 that CSK’s Dwayne Bravo overcame Malinga as IPL’s highest wicket-taker. He bowled 471 overs in IPL, getting 8 maiden overs and scalping 170 wickets.
Dale Steyn | 7 maiden overs | 95 matches in IPL
The South African pacer’s IPL stint didn’t last even 100 matches but it was enough for him to make a mark in the celebrated Indian T20 tournament. He played in four IPL teams – Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Gujarat Lions and Sunrisers Hyderabad – and could only play 95 matches with injuries preventing much of his game time. However, the fierce Proteas pacer was an impactful player whenever he played and bowled as many as seven maidens out of the 362 overs he bowled.
FAQs
Who bowled the most maiden overs in IPL 2021?
Delhi Capitals pacer Ishant Sharma bowled the most maiden overs in IPL 2021. He played three matches, bowling 12 overs out of which two were maidens.
Who bowled the first maiden over in IPL history?
The first maiden over in IPL history was bowled by Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, who had also gotten a wicket. It took place during the third match of the inaugural season that was played between Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals.
Who had bowled the most maiden overs in IPL 2020?
Mumbai Indians‘ Trent Boult bowled the most maiden overs in IPL 2020. He played 15 matches, bowling 57.2 overs, out of which three were maidens.
Who has bowled most dot balls in IPL?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled the most dot balls in IPL history. In an IPL career spanning across 134 matches, Harbhajan Singh has delivered a whopping 1347 dot balls.
Who has bowled the most maiden overs in T20 cricket?
India’s premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah has bowled the most maiden overs in T20I cricket with eight maiden overs to his name in the 57 overs that he has bowled so far.
