What is an IPL purple cap?
The Purple Cap in the IPL is awarded to a bowler who picks the most wickets in a season. The purple cap switches hands all through the tournament. The bowler who eventually ends up with maximum wickets when the tournament concludes gets the actual Purple Cap along with prize money. The award was introduced in the initial season of IPL and continues to date.
Let’s take a look at all the IPL Purple Cap Winners through the seasons.
1) Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan Royals) – 2008
In the only season that Pakistan players featured in the IPL, Sohail Tanvir dominated with the ball. The left-arm fast bowler returned with 22 wickets from just 11 games and had an economy rate of 6.46. He played a massive role in Rajasthan Royals’ title win. His 6 for 14 in one of the games remained the best bowling figures in the IPL for nearly 12 seasons.
STATS: Wickets: 22, Average: 12.09, Economy: 6.46
2) RP Singh (Deccan Chargers) – 2009
In 2009, RP Singh became the first Indian to win the Purple Cap in IPL. The left-arm pacer finished as the leading wicket taker picking up 23 wickets at an average of 18.13. He was very consistent, and his performances with the ball played a massive part in Deccan Chargers’ IPL title win in 2009.
STATS: Wickets: 23, Average: 18.13, Economy: 6.98
3) Pragyan Ojha (Deccan Chargers) – 2010
Pragyan Ojha was the first-ever spinner to win the Purple Cap in the IPL. The left-arm spinner returned with 21 wickets at an average of 20.42 and an economy rate of 7.29. It was the second successive season that a Deccan Chargers bowler won the Purple Cap.
STATS: Wickets: 21, Average: 20.42, Economy: 7.29
4) Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians) – 2011
Lasith Malinga was an icon player for Mumbai Indians for more than a decade. The ace Sri Lankan fast bowler topped the bowling charts in 2011, finishing with the most wickets in the tournament. He picked up 28 scalps at an average of 13.39. Moreover, he had a stunning economy rate of 5.95.
STATS: Wickets: 28, Average: 13.39, Economy: 5.95
5) Morne Morkel (Delhi Daredevils) – 2012
Morne Morkel dominated with the ball in IPL 2012. The tall South African fast bowler played a huge role in Delhi’s success that season as they topped the league stages but crashed out in the second Qualifier. He finished atop the Purple Cap list as he took 25 wickets at an average of 18.12.
STATS: Wickets: 25, Average: 18.12, Economy: 7.19
6) Dwayne Bravo (Chennai Super Kings) – 2013
Dwayne Bravo had a phenomenal run in 2013. At times, the West Indian all-rounder may have been expensive, but he took 32 wickets from 18 games. His tally of 32 wickets is the most by a bowler in a single season of the IPL.
STATS: Wickets: 32, Average: 15.53, Economy: 7.95
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7) Mohit Sharma (Chennai Super Kings) – 2014
After picking 20 wickets from 15 games in the 2013 season, Mohit Sharma bettered himself and went on to win the Purple Cap in 2014. While Chennai couldn’t make it to the final, Mohit’s performance was the silver lining. He picked up 23 wickets at an average of 19.65.
STATS: Wickets: 23, Average: 19.65, Economy: 8.39
8) Dwayne Bravo (Chennai Super Kings) – 2015
Dwayne Bravo became the first bowler to win the Purple Cap twice when he scaled the feat in 2015. He returned with 26 wickets at an average of 16.38 as Chennai reached the final of the season. Moreover, this was the third season in a row that a Chennai Super Kings bowler won the Purple Cap.
STATS: Wickets: 26, Average: 16.38, Economy: 8.14
9) Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 2016
Before 2016, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had been consistent for India and in the IPL for about 2-3 years. However, in 2016, he scaled new heights. The fast bowler won the Purple Cap, and he played a big role in Sunrisers’ title-winning tournament. He finished with 23 wickets in the season.
STATS: Wickets: 23, Average: 21.3, Economy: 7.42
10) Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers Hyderabad) – 2017
For the second season in a row, Bhuvneshwar Kumar dominated with the ball and went on to win the Purple Cap. In fact, he is the first and only bowler to have won the Purple Cap twice in a row. In 2017, Sunrisers Hyderabad reached the playoffs, and Bhuvneshwar returned with 26 wickets at an average of 14.19.
STATS: Wickets: 26, Average: 14.19, Economy: 7.05
11) Andrew Tye (Kings XI Punjab) – 2018
Andrew Tye is the only Australian to be on top of the purple cap winners list. The Western Australian fast bowler may have been expensive, but he picked up 24 wickets in the entire tournament. His performances couldn’t really lift Kings XI Punjab, and they couldn’t make it to the playoffs.
STATS: Wickets: 24, Average: 18.66, Economy: 8.00
12) Imran Tahir (Chennai Super Kings) – 2019
After playing just six games in the entire 2018 season of the IPL, Imran Tahir showcased his class in the 2019 edition. The veteran South African leg-spinner returned with 26 wickets at an average of 16.57 and an economy rate of 6.69. His performances played a significant role in Chennai Super Kings’ run until the final.
STATS: Wickets: 26, Average: 16.57, Economy: 6.69
13) Kagiso Rabada (Delhi Capitals) – 2020
In 2019, Kagiso Rabada narrowly missed out on winning the Purple Cap. He took 25 wickets but was injured in the latter half of the tournament and couldn’t feature in the last few games. However, the South African corrected that in 2020. He returned with 30 wickets at an average of 18.26 and played a big part in Delhi Capitals’ run till the final.
STATS: Wickets: 30, Average: 18.26, Economy: 8.34
IPL 2021 Purple Cap
Harshal Patel of Royal Challengers Bangalore heads the Purple Cap winners list in IPL 2021. It will be interesting to see whether he can continue his form when the tournament resumes in September.
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