Roelof van der Merwe IPL profile: South Africa’s spinning all-rounder who quietly became Delhi Capitals’ unsung hero between 2009 and 2013. Across five seasons and 21 bowling innings, the slow-left-armer claimed 21 wickets at a strike-rate of 21.10 balls per scalp and an economy of 6.74—numbers that placed him among the most frugal spinners of his era. His standout spell came in Delhi colours, returning 3 for 20, the only three-wicket haul of his IPL career. Whenever the middle overs squeezed, van der Merwe delivered: 443 balls yielded just 498 runs, a testament to his ability to choke batters on Indian tracks. With the bat he turned into a handy floater, striking at 112 while clearing the ropes eight times and finding the fence 11 times. His career-best 35 off 22 against Mumbai at the Kotla remains a reminder of his late-order hitting. In 15 innings he compiled 159 runs, often arriving in the death overs to tilt momentum Delhi’s way. From Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2009-10 to Delhi Capitals from 2011-13, van der Merwe’s adaptability and control made him a low-profile asset in T20’s glitziest league.

Sunil Narine IPL profile: 14 seasons, 192 wickets, 1780 runs, one-man match engine Sunil Narine has become the definitive two-phase weapon in IPL history, piling up 192 wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders while striking at 22.63 balls per scalp and keeping the economy to a miserly 6.8. The off-spinner has tortured batters with 16 three-wicket bursts and one five-wicket demolition, landing telling blows in 187 bowling innings since 2012. Yet Narine’s story is not just about the ball. Promoted up the order, he has smashed 1780 runs at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 166, peppering 189 fours and 116 sixes. His lone IPL hundred—an unbeaten 109—arrived off just 56 balls, proving he can flip a chase in the space of an over. Seven fifties and a highest score of 109 add layers to a batting record that few specialist bowlers can rival. From season one in 2012 to the 2025 campaign, Narine has worn only one jersey: KKR purple and gold. That loyalty has delivered both numbers and narrative—4345 balls of mystery spin, 1069 balls of audacious hitting, and countless moments when Eden Gardens rose to its feet for the ultimate IPL double threat.

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