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.

Shane Watson IPL legacy: 3,874 runs at 137 strike-rate, 190 sixes, 4 centuries Across 12 electrifying IPL seasons from 2008 to 2020, Shane Watson built a batting résumé that still echoes through stadiums. Opening for Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and finally Chennai Super Kings, the Australian all-rounder smashed 3,874 runs off 2,809 balls, stamping his authority with a fearsome strike-rate of 137. He cleared the ropes 190 times and found the boundary another 376 times, converting starts into 21 half-centuries and four match-winning hundreds, the highest being an unbeaten 117. Watson’s all-round value added 92 wickets from 105 bowling innings, including eight three-wicket hauls, but it was his explosive starts with the bat that turned games. Whether powering CSK to the 2018 title or anchoring Rajasthan’s 2008 triumph, his ability to tee off from ball one made him a perennial MVP. Twelve seasons, three franchises, one unmistakable impact—Shane Watson remains the definitive IPL impact player.

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