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.

Sohail Tanvir’s lone IPL season in 2008 remains one of the most explosive cameo campaigns by any overseas seamer. Turning out for Rajasthan Royals, the left-arm quick sent down 247 balls and stormed to 22 wickets—an eye-catching strike rate of 11.23 balls per scalp. Four times he ripped through three or more batsmen in an innings, and his 6 for 14 against Chennai stands as one of only a handful of five-fors in tournament history. Operating at a frugal 6.46 runs an over, Tanvir choked rival batting units while the Royals surged to the inaugural title. With the bat he was no mere tail-ender. Walking in five times, he muscled 36 runs off 29 balls—three fours and a six—striking at 124 and ensuring every short cameo counted. From ball one to the last, the Pakistan pacer’s 2008 IPL story is a master-class in white-ball impact: 22 wickets, a six-wicket haul, and all-round fireworks that still pop up in highlight reels today.

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