Purple Cap standings — top wicket-takers of IPL 2026
The IPL's leading wicket-taker race, with economy-rate ranking and the death-over split that fantasy cricket players actually need.
What this page tracks
The Purple Cap race is the IPL's leading wicket-taker award. Three columns matter: total wickets, economy rate, and the death-over split. The standard IPL tally ranks them by wickets only; this page ranks them by wickets adjusted for the role they play in the XI.
Top of the table
The 2026 leading wicket-takers after match 28.
| Rank | Player | Team | Wkts | Mat | Avg | ER | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah | MI | 17 | 7 | 14.4 | 6.20 | 14.0 |
| 2 | Matheesha Pathirana | CSK | 14 | 7 | 18.2 | 7.34 | 12.4 |
| 3 | Rashid Khan | GT | 13 | 7 | 22.4 | 5.85 | 19.0 |
| 4 | Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 13 | 7 | 24.0 | 7.42 | 19.4 |
| 5 | Josh Hazlewood | RCB | 12 | 7 | 26.0 | 7.61 | 20.4 |
| 6 | Sunil Narine | KKR | 11 | 7 | 24.6 | 6.85 | 21.6 |
| 7 | Arshdeep Singh | PBKS | 11 | 7 | 30.4 | 8.64 | 21.2 |
| 8 | Trent Boult | RR/MI | 10 | 7 | 28.0 | 7.84 | 21.4 |
| 9 | Mohammed Shami | GT | 10 | 7 | 29.2 | 7.95 | 22.0 |
| 10 | Anrich Nortje | DC | 10 | 7 | 32.4 | 8.42 | 23.1 |
Per-player dashboard
Each player in the top ten has a separate page that drills into their season numbers — venue-by-venue wickets, the batters they have dismissed, and the captaincy reads the desk has produced for them.
Why wickets-per-match is not enough
The leading wicket-takers are not always the most impactful bowlers. A player who takes 4 wickets per match across 7 matches on friendly surfaces is doing less than a player who takes 2.5 per match across 7 matches on tougher surfaces. The economy-rate ranking accounts for this; the bottom-of-the-table read explains further.
Where the wickets and economy match, that player is the captain pick of the tournament. Where they don't, the differential is interesting — and the fantasy desk tracks both reads.
FAQs
Who leads the Purple Cap race in 2026?
Jasprit Bumrah, with 17 wickets at an economy of 6.20. He has been almost unplayable in the death overs.
What does the death-over split tell us?
A bowler who takes most of his wickets in the 18th-20th over is more valuable than one who takes them in the powerplay. The captain picks page rates bowlers on death-over impact.
Does the Purple Cap matter for fantasy cricket?
Yes — the top Purple Cap candidates are usually the captain pick candidates in their opponent's XI. Some leagues have a captain pick rule that doubles bowling points, which makes the top bowler a strong pick.
Where can I see the captain picks on this list?
On the captain picks page. This week, Bumrah and Rashid Khan are both top captain picks for their respective sides.
Are there past Purple Cap winners I can compare to?
Yes — see the past winners list on the news page. Past winners include Yuzvendra Chahal (multiple), Dwayne Bravo, Harshal Patel and Rashid Khan.
