Lasith Malinga is the IPL’s ultimate yorker king. Across nine seasons—all in Mumbai Indians colours from 2009 to 2019—he scalped 170 wickets in 122 innings, never letting batters breathe at a stunning strike-rate of 16.63 balls per wicket. The sling-armed Sri Lankan terrorised line-ups with 18 three-wicket bursts and a memorable five-for, conceding only 7.15 runs an over despite bowling 2,827 balls of unforgiving yorkers and slower ones at the death. Malinga’s mastery peaked when he nipped out four overs for just 5.1 runs each, a record economy for any 170-wicket bowler in the league’s history. With the bat he was a handy lower-order pinch-hitter, smashing five sixes and six fours in 20 innings for 88 quick runs at a strike-rate of 88. Yet it is with the ball that Malinga became Mumbai’s heartbeat, lifting four IPL titles and finishing as the franchise’s all-time leading wicket-taker—an unbreakable legacy built on 170 scalps, 18 three-fors and one spell for the ages.

Sandeep Sharma IPL 2025: Swing master headlines Rajasthan Royals attack with 146 wickets across 13 seasons Since his debut in 2013, Sandeep Sharma has quietly built one of the most consistent new-ball résumés in IPL history. Operating for Rajasthan Royals since 2023 (after earlier stints with Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad), the right-arm seamer has sent down 3,041 deliveries and walked away with 146 wickets—an impressive strike rate of 20.83 balls per wicket. His economy sits at a tight 8.03 runs per over, rare restraint in the slam-bang format. Eleven three-wicket hauls and a solitary five-for underline his ability to break open an innings, while his best figures of 5/25 remain a testament to his knack for late-swing devastation. Sandeep’s longevity—13 campaigns and counting—makes him one of only a handful of bowlers to appear in every IPL season since 2013, and the only one to spend five-plus seasons each with both Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad before anchoring the Royals attack.

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