IPL: The cost of each wicket taken by the top 5 bowlers in the tournament's history

Though there have been several other T20 cricket leagues like Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, Bangladesh Premier League etc. around the globe, the Indian Premier League has been the most popular and the richest premier league in the world.

Given the quality of cricket played in it and the enormity of exposure it has got, many top-class players from all parts of the cricketing world want to take part in India's annual cricket extravaganza.

Though the shortest format of the game is considered the batsmen's game, yet the popularity of bowlers never went down. There have been many quality bowlers who have earned a huge reputation in the batsmen friendly format by containing them with their impeccable variations such as wide yorkers, knuckleballs slow-ball bouncers etc.

Over the last four or five seasons, the importance of having quality bowlers has been realized. Franchisees have been splurging whopping sums on to get high-quality bowlers in their squad.

So, with the twelfth edition of the Indian Premier League is just a month away, let us now take a look a the cost of each wicket taken by the top 5 bowlers with most wickets in the history of the tournament.

Note: Though Dwayne Bravo is the fourth highest wicket-taker, him being a genuine all-rounder has not been included in this list featuring pure bowlers.

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#5 Bhuvneshwar Kumar - INR 28.93 Lakhs/Wicket

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of SRH's best players

The Purple Cap holder of 2016 and 2017 seasons of the Indian Premier League, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, started his IPL stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008 and represented Pune Warriors India for the next three seasons before being roped in by Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2014. Since 2014, Bhuvneshwar has been a vital cog of SRH with his outstanding bowling.

The Uttar Pradesh-born swing bowler is currently the sixth highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL with 120 wickets in 102 matches.

Kumar is the eighth highest paid bowler in the history of IPL with a total salary of INR 34.73 crores. Thus the 29-year-old was paid a huge sum of INR 28.93 lakhs for each wicket he has taken thus far.

#4 Harbhajan Singh - INR 40.4 Lakhs/Wicket

Harbhajan Singh is a veteran

The veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the tournament. Harbhajan started his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2008 and represented them till 2017, before being bought by Chennai Super Kings in 2018. He has been retained by CSK for this year's IPL for INR 2 crores.

Harbhajan has thus far played in 149 matches and has scalped 134 wickets with an economy of 7.05. The 38-year-old is currently the fifth highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament.

With a total IPL salary of INR 54.14 crores, the Punjab-born bowler is also the third highest paid bowler in the history of Indian Premier League.

Thus the former Mumbai Indians bowler was paid a whopping sum of INR 40.14 lakhs for each wicket he has scalped thus far in the tournament.

#3 Piyush Chawla - INR 30.44 Lakhs/Wicket

Piyush Chawla is somewhat of an IPL great

The Uttar Pradesh-born leg-spinner, Piyush Chawla, began his IPL career with Kings XI Punjab in 2008 and represented them for the first six editions of the IPL. In 2014, Chawla was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and has been representing them since then. Chawla has been retained by KKR again for a huge sum of INR 4.26 crores.

The 30-year-old is one of the few Indian talents who found massive success in the IPL but failed to replicate the same at the International stage.

Chawla stands as the third highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament with 140 wickets 144 matches. At the moment the KKR spinner is also the 7th highest paid bowler in the history of IPL with a total salary of INR 42.62 crores.

Thus Chawla was paid a massive sum of INR 30.44 lakhs for every wicket he has mustered thus far in the tournament.

#2 Amit Mishra - INR 19 Lakhs/Wicket

Amit Mishra is another IPL great

The only bowler to take a hat-trick of hat-tricks, Amit Mishra, is one of the greatest bowlers in the history of Indian Premier League. Mishra started his IPL career with his home franchise, Delhi Capitals (Delhi Daredevils at the time), in 2008 and played for them for the first three seasons. He played for Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad during 2011-12 and 2013-14 respectively before moving back to Delhi Capitals in 2015.

Mishra has thus far featured in 136 IPL matches grabbing 146 wickets at a decent economy of 7.39 runs per over. He is only behind Lasith Malinga in the highest wicket-takers list.

The Delhi spinner is also the eleventh highest paid bowler in the history of IPL with a total salary of INR 27.75 crores.

Thus the 36-year-old was paid a hefty sum of INR 19 Lakhs for every wicket he has grabbed thus far in IPL.

#1 Lasith Malinga - INR 30 Lakhs/Wicket

Lasith Malinga is a Mumbai legend

One of the most consistent and dangerous bowlers in the history of Indian Premier League, Lasith Malinga, started his IPL stint with Mumbai Indians in 2008 and has been playing for them since then.

He is one of the very few players in who have represented only one IPL franchise thus far. Malinga has been bought back by MI for a sum of INR 2 crore for the upcoming edition of the IPL.

The Sri Lankan legend has thus far played 110 IPL matches and has scalped 154 wickets with an exceptional economy of 6.87. He is also the leading wicket-taker in the history of the tournament.

The mysterious fast bowler is currently the fourth highest paid bowlers in the history of IPL with a total salary of INR 46.22 crores.

Thus the 35-year-old was paid a huge sum of INR 30 lakhs for each wicket he has taken thus far in IPL.