Irfan Pathan’s IPL story is told best through the rhythm of his left-arm swing. Across nine seasons from 2008 to 2017, the all-rounder turned 2043 deliveries into 80 wickets at a strike-rate of 25.54, keeping batters guessing with an economy of 7.78. Four times he tilted matches with three-wicket bursts, never more devastating than when the new ball nipped away under lights. Yet Pathan the bowler had a batting heartbeat. Promoted up the order, he smashed 1139 runs from 946 balls, striking at 120 and clearing the ropes 37 times while threading 87 fours. His lone fifty—an electric 60—came at 186.66 and remains a reminder that he could flip a chase in a flash. From Punjab Kings in the inaugural year to the debutant Gujarat Titans in 2017, Pathan wore six different jerseys, but the left-arm angle and fearless swing stayed constant. Eighty wickets, 1139 runs: the numbers frame a rare IPL double—strike bowler who could also open the batting and win you a game either side of the innings.

Chris Gayle IPL story: 13 seasons, 4 965 runs, 357 sixes and one unforgettable 175. The self-styled “Universe Boss” walked into IPL 2009 with Kolkata Knight Riders, but it was at Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011-2017 that he became a global T20 icon—belting 404 fours and 357 sixes overall at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 148. In 141 innings he cleared the rope once every 9.3 balls and produced 31 half-centuries plus six blistering hundreds, the most famous being his record 175* off 66 balls at the Chinnaswamy in 2013. After his Bengaluru fireworks, Gayle took his power game to Punjab Kings, turning up in orange from 2018 to 2021 and continuing to pepper boundaries with the same ruthless ease. While he rolled his arm over occasionally—18 wickets in 38 bowling innings—his narrative is written in soaring sixes and match-winning hundreds that re-defined T20 batting forever.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.