Top 5 individual bowling performances in IPL history

Cricket is, for the most part, a batsman's game. The shift to larger bats and smaller boundaries has meant that scores of 300+ are more than common in ODI cricket and teams are regularly surpassing the 200 mark in T20 cricket.

This favouritism to batsmen is also seen to a certain extent in the IPL, where it rains sixes on a packed out crowd. Nevertheless, there have been some magical moments where individual bowlers have dominated the opposition batsmen. This article looks at the top five individual bowling performances in the history of the IPL.

---

#5 Lasith Malinga: 5/13 vs Delhi Daredevils in 2011

It is impossible to leave Lasith Malinga out of this list. Malinga is the IPL all-time leading wicket-taker, with 154 wickets to his name. This is 20 more than Amit Mishra in second place.

The Sri Lankan fast bowler has been terrorizing batting line-ups for many years, but one particular performance stands out in particular. This was his 5/13 against the Delhi Daredevils in the fourth match of the 2011 IPL.

Malinga started in lethal fashion, unleashing a vintage toe-crushing yorker to knock over David Warner with just his second ball. After another yorker, which Unmukt Chand managed to dig out, Malinga crashed into Chand's stumps with a fast in-swinger which ended up hitting the middle of middle stump. It was an imperious start from Malinga.

He was so good on that day that even explosive Indian opener Virender Sehwag could not figure out how best to play him. Indeed, Malinga's second over was a maiden to the veteran Indian international, in a display of fast, probing bowling. He was then taken off for a while and brought back in the 16th over.

The carnage then resumed as Malinga took two wickets in three balls, once again yorking Venugopal Raul and another toe-crusher sent Morne Morkel back to the pavilion.

Malinga didn't get a chance to bowl out his quota, as Ashok Dinda tamely chipped him to mid-off to dismiss the Delhi Daredevils for just 95. The combination of pace and accuracy made this spell a delight to watch and is the perfect example of how to bowl in T20 cricket.

#4 Ishant Sharma: 5/12 vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011

Ishant Sharma celebrates a wicket with teammates

You would never have guessed that Ishant Sharma has the fourth best figures in IPL history. Sharma has not had the most successful time in the competition and he holds the wretched record of having the worst bowling figures in the competition (4-0-66-0 against the Chennai Super Kings in 2013).

However, Ishant produced a devastating spell of bowling for the Deccan Chargers to rout the Kochi Tuskers Kerala for just 74. This came at a crucial time, as Kochi needed just 130 to win.

Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma opened the bowling for the now-defunct franchise and Steyn struck in the first over, triggering a collapse of epic proportions. After being 0/1 at the end of the first over, Ishant then took three wickets in his first over.

A huge amount of seam movement caused Parthiv Patel to knick off to the keeper and then Ishant clean bowled both Raiphi Gomez and Brad Hodge in a fast bowling masterclass. In Ishant's next over he picked up two more wickets, trapping Kedar Jadhav LBW and then bouncing Mahela Jayawardene out.

Ishant picked up five wickets in just two overs, which is one of the fastest five-fers ever in cricket history. He ended with figures of 3-0-12-5 and all of the victims he claimed were established players.

#3 Anil Kumble: 5/5 vs Rajasthan Royals in 2009

Kumble's five-wicket haul is the least expensive in the history of the IPL

India's best spinner of all time proved that he was skilled across every format with a strong display in IPL cricket. He holds the second biggest figures for a spinner in IPL history, after taking an incredible 5/5 against the Rajasthan Royals in the second match of the 2009 IPL.

This feat is made even more impressive when considering the fact that the IPL was held in South Africa that year, on surfaces much more conducive to pace than to spin.

RCB had posted a modest 133 in the first innings, but Kumble ensured that Rajasthan did not threaten that total as they folded for an embarrassing 58 all out. In fairness, RR were already in a dire state when Kumble came on to bowl, as they were on 47/5 when Kumble first struck. He removed Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja on consecutive balls and all of a sudden Rajasthan were on 47/7.

The rest is history, as Kumble went on to clinically mop up their tail, taking the wickets of Shane Warne and Munaf Patel in his next over. He sealed RCB's win and his five-for when number eleven Kamran Khan top-edged his delivery into the safe hands of Robin Uthappa. This five-wicket haul is the least expensive in the history of the IPL.

#2 Adam Zampa: 6/19 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016

Adam Zampa's 6/19 is the best T20 figures in a losing cause

There are several reasons why Adam Zampa's spell ranks as the second-best individual bowling performance in IPL history. Interestingly, though, Zampa's spell of 6/19 was in a losing cause as the Rising Pune Supergiant could only manage 133 in response to Hyderabad's 137 in the first innings.

As a result, Zampa's figures are the best ever T20 figures in a losing cause. More impressive is the fact that Zampa was relatively new to the IPL and was very inexperienced in general, still starting out his career.

Also, he displayed extreme resilience as he was taken off after one wicketless over earlier in the innings and only brought back later on. This showed a lack of faith in him, but he soon justified his selection in a tantalising display of incredible leg-spin.

Zampa had initially bowled the eighth over, conceding eight runs, but was only given a second one in the 16th over. He dismissed the dangerous Yuvraj Singh, on 23 off 17 at the time, with his second ball of that over. Yuvraj did not pick Zampa's googly, which is admittedly hard to pick.

Zampa then, in his next over, dismissed New Zealand star Kane Williamson and Australian powerhouse Moises Henriques in consecutive balls, using the turn on offer and constantly varying his pace. It was the perfect demonstration of leg-spin bowling.

Skipper MS Dhoni then trusted Zampa with bowling the final ball of the innings. He may have regretted that decision as Deepak Hooda launched Zampa for a huge six of the first ball of the over.

However, Zampa then took three wickets in five balls outfoxing Hooda, Naman Ojha and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in quick succession.

#1 Sohail Tanvir: 6/14 vs the Chennai Super Kings in 2008

Sohail Tanvir won the Purple Cap for Rajasthan Royals in the first ever IPL

Back in 2008 Pakistani players were allowed to play in the IPL, which is unfortunately no longer the case due to the hostilities between the two nations. Sohail Tanvir, though, has left a lasting legacy on the IPL as his 6/14 against the Chennai Super Kings remains the best figures in IPL history.

Tanvir was a crucial cog for Rajasthan's title success in the inaugural competition and proved to be lethal with the ball throughout their campaign. His performance on 4 May 2008 exemplifies this nicely.

Tanvir took the new ball for Rajasthan, who were bowling first, and got off to the perfect start. He trapped Parthiv Patel LBW with a booming in-swinger off his first ball and he did the same thing to New Zealand star Stephen Fleming a few balls later.

In his following over, he got Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan caught behind and had reduced CSK to just 11-3 inside three overs. However, he was somewhat mysteriously taken off and only reappeared towards the end of the innings. Yet, he was as clinical then as he was at the start of the innings.

He bowled Albie Morkel, who was looking dangerous with 42 to his name, and again a few balls later he bowled Muttiah Muralitharan. Then, off the last ball of his allocated overs, he cleaned up Makhaya Ntini and picked up the best figures in T20 cricket. This spell of bowling will always be part of history.