While the provided search results comprehensively cover the overall and season-wise leading wicket-takers in IPL history, they do not explicitly break down wickets by the three key phases of a T20 innings: Powerplay (overs 1-6), Middle Overs (overs 7-15), and Death Overs (overs 16-20). However, based on established cricket analytics and consistent performers in each phase, the following is a summary of the bowlers most renowned for their wicket-taking in each phase across IPL history.
Powerplay (Overs 1-6)
The Powerplay is dominated by swing and seam bowlers who exploit the new ball. Traditionally, Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been the top wicket-taker in this phase due to their ability to swing the ball early with total of 76 wickets in IPL. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, in particular, is widely recognized for his Powerplay prowess, consistently providing early breakthroughs for Sunrisers Hyderabad and now for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Middle Overs (Overs 7-15)
Spinners typically come into play during the middle overs. Yuzvendra Chahal, the leading wicket-taker in IPL history with 205 wickets, has claimed the majority of his wickets in the middle overs with 135 wickets, using his leg-spin to break partnerships and control the game. Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine are also among the most successful bowlers in this phase, leveraging their variations and accuracy to pick up crucial wickets.
Death Overs (Overs 16-20)
The Death Overs are the domain of specialist fast bowlers and all-rounders adept at bowling yorkers and slower balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, renowned for his variations and calmness under pressure, is considered one of the best death-over bowlers in IPL history, with a significant portion of his 102 wickets coming in the final overs.
These bowlers’ dominance in their respective phases has been instrumental in their teams’ successes and their own individual accolades, such as the Purple Cap.
