Trent Boult holds the all-time record for the most wickets in the first over of an IPL innings with 32 wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed closely with 29 wickets, having bowled the most opening overs
in tournament history. As of the 2026 IPL season, here is the breakdown of the leading bowlers for wickets taken in the first over of an innings:
Trent Boult (32 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 105.0
Team(s): RR, MI, DC, KKR, SRH
Insight: Known as the "First Over King," Boult reached 30 wickets faster than any other bowler.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (29 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 141.0
Team(s): SRH, PWI, RCB
Insight: Holds the record for the most first overs bowled; he became the first fast bowler to reach 200 IPL wickets overall in April 2026.
Deepak Chahar (16 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 85.2
Team(s): CSK, RPS, MI
Insight: A primary powerplay specialist for CSK, consistently striking early with his swing.
Praveen Kumar (15 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 89.0
Team(s): RCB, PBKS, MI, GL, SRH
Insight: A pioneer of early swing, he also holds the joint-record for the most maiden overs (14) in IPL history.
Jofra Archer (13 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 29.0
Team(s): RR, MI
Insight: Features an incredible strike rate, taking a wicket nearly every two first overs he bowls.
Mohammed Shami (13 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 67.0
Team(s): GT, PBKS, DC, KKR, LSG
Insight: Has seen a significant rise in early wickets since joining Gujarat Titans in 2022.
Sandeep Sharma (13 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 78.0
Team(s): RR, SRH, PBKS
Insight: Renowned for his ability to swing the ball both ways, especially effective during his stint with SRH.
Mohammed Siraj (12 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 58.0
Team(s): RCB, SRH, GT
Insight: "Miyan Magic" has become a crucial opening threat for RCB, particularly since the 2020 season.
Zaheer Khan (12 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 65.0
Team(s): DD, MI, RCB
Insight: The veteran left-arm pacer set the early standard for taking wickets with the new ball in the IPL.
Lasith Malinga (11 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 31.0
Team(s): MI
Insight: Despite being a death-over legend, his lethal yorkers frequently struck in his very first over.
Dale Steyn (11 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 47.0
Team(s): SRH, RCB, DC, GL
Insight: One of the most feared new-ball bowlers, especially during his peak years with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Umesh Yadav (11 Wickets)
Overs Bowled: 49.0
Team(s): KKR, RCB, DC, GT
Insight: Known for his raw pace and ability to get the ball to jump off a length early in the innings.
Most Wickets in 1st over of IPL (overs bowled) 32 - Trent Boult (105.0) 29 - Bhuvaneshwar (141.0)* 16 - Deepak Chahar (85.2) 15 - Praveen Kumar (89.0) 13 - Jofra Archer (29.0) 13 - Mohd Shami (67.0) 13 - Sandeep Sharma (78.0) 12 - Mohd Siraj (58.0) 12 - Zaheer Khan (65.0) 11 -… pic.twitter.com/kvNBOGu5Et
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) April 27, 2026
Taking wickets in the first over is the ultimate momentum-shifter in T20 cricket. While Boult and Bhuvneshwar lead the history books, the rise of bowlers like Siraj and Shami shows that the art of the "early strike" is more valuable now than ever before in the powerplay-heavy IPL landscape.
