In the Indian Premier League (IPL), taking a five-wicket haul is a rare and impactful achievement — but doing it as a captain is unprecedented. Hardik Pandya has now set a new record by becoming the first captain in IPL history to take a five-wicket haul.
What Makes This Significant?
Until now, no IPL captain had ever picked up five wickets in a single match. The leadership role usually comes with added responsibility and pressure, making such a dominant individual bowling performance extremely rare.
With bowling figures of 5 wickets for 36 runs in 4 overs, Hardik not only led from the front but also redefined what’s possible for a captain in the IPL.
Let's take a look at the other IPL captains with best bowling figures.
Anil Kumble – 4/16 vs Deccan Chargers (2009)
In the 2009 IPL final, Anil Kumble led from the front with a clinical spell for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Opening the bowling, he struck immediately by dismissing Adam Gilchrist in the first over, setting the tone in a high-pressure match. His spell didn't stop there—he also removed Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, and Venugopal Rao to restrict the Deccan Chargers to 143. Although RCB narrowly lost the title by six runs, Kumble's 4/16 remained the best figures by a captain in IPL history for over a decade.
Anil Kumble – 4/16 vs Deccan Chargers (2010)
One year later, Kumble repeated his brilliance—against the same opposition. In the third-place playoff match at DY Patil Stadium, he once again opened the bowling and took out Gilchrist in the very first over. He followed it up with three more key wickets, wrapping up his spell at 4/16 in just 3.3 overs. This time, RCB made no mistake with the bat and comfortably chased down the target of 83. Two matches, same figures, same dominance — Kumble’s consistency as a leader-bowler was unmatched.
JP Duminy – 4/17 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2015)
As captain of Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), JP Duminy produced one of the most underrated all-round performances in IPL captaincy history. With the ball, he broke a solid 50-run opening stand by removing both David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan in the span of three deliveries. Later in the innings, he removed set batters Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan—again within the space of three balls. With four top-order wickets and a half-century earlier in the match, Duminy played a pivotal role in Delhi's narrow four-run win.
Shane Warne – 4/21 vs Deccan Chargers (2010)
Rajasthan Royals had just posted 159 in Nagpur—decent but not daunting. What followed was classic Shane Warne. With his signature mix of guile and strategy, Warne ran through the Deccan Chargers’ middle order, picking up four wickets including Anirudh Singh, Dwayne Smith, Azhar Bilakhia, and Ryan Harris. None of them managed double figures. His spell sparked a dramatic collapse and turned a seemingly straightforward chase into a two-run win for the Royals. Warne’s captaincy wasn’t just tactical—it was transformational.
