The Purple Cap is one of the most prestigious individual awards in the Indian Premier League. Every season, the bowler who finishes with the most wickets in the tournament takes home the Purple Cap. Over the years, the award has been won by some of the biggest names in T20 cricket, from Lasith Malinga and Dwayne Bravo to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kagiso Rabada, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Shami.
Since the IPL began in 2008, the Purple Cap race has often gone down to the wire. Some bowlers have dominated an entire season, while others have had to fight until the final match to finish at the top of the wicket-taking chart.
The 2026 season produced another close contest. Gujarat Titans fast bowler Kagiso Rabada finished with 29 wickets and won the Purple Cap, edging Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who ended the season with 28 wickets.
IPL Purple Cap Winners List from 2008 to 2026
Here is the complete season-by-season list of Purple Cap winners:
| Season | Purple Cap Winner | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sohail Tanvir | Rajasthan Royals | 22 |
| 2009 | RP Singh | Deccan Chargers | 23 |
| 2010 | Pragyan Ojha | Deccan Chargers | 21 |
| 2011 | Lasith Malinga | Mumbai Indians | 28 |
| 2012 | Morne Morkel | Delhi Daredevils | 25 |
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings | 32 |
| 2014 | Mohit Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | 23 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | Chennai Super Kings | 26 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 23 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 26 |
| 2018 | Andrew Tye | Kings XI Punjab | 24 |
| 2019 | Imran Tahir | Chennai Super Kings | 26 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | Delhi Capitals | 30 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 32 |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | Rajasthan Royals | 27 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | Gujarat Titans | 28 |
| 2024 | Harshal Patel | Punjab Kings | 24 |
| 2025 | Prasidh Krishna | Gujarat Titans | 25 |
| 2026 | Kagiso Rabada | Gujarat Titans | 29 |
The historical figures from 2008 through 2025 match established IPL records, while the 2026 statistics confirm Rabada’s 29-wicket campaign.
2008: Sohail Tanvir Became the First Purple Cap Winner
The Purple Cap story started with Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir during the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
Playing for Rajasthan Royals, Tanvir took 22 wickets in 11 matches. His left-arm pace and unusual bowling action made him one of the standout bowlers of the first IPL season.
Tanvir’s performance helped establish the Purple Cap as an important individual award from the very beginning.
2009: RP Singh Leads the Wicket Charts
In the second IPL season, Indian fast bowler RP Singh took the Purple Cap.
Representing the Deccan Chargers, Singh finished with 23 wickets in 16 matches. His ability to swing the new ball and maintain pressure throughout the innings made him one of the leading Indian bowlers in the tournament at the time.
2010: Pragyan Ojha Continues Deccan Chargers’ Bowling Success
The Deccan Chargers produced another Purple Cap winner in 2010.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took 21 wickets in 16 matches. His consistent performances made him one of the most effective spin bowlers in the IPL that season.
Ojha’s success also showed that the Purple Cap was not only about fast bowlers. Spinners could also dominate the wicket-taking charts.
2011: Lasith Malinga Takes 28 Wickets
Mumbai Indians’ legendary fast bowler Lasith Malinga produced one of the most memorable bowling seasons in 2011.
Malinga claimed 28 wickets in 16 matches, using his famous sling-arm action and deadly yorkers to trouble batters throughout the tournament.
His 28 wickets made him the first bowler to cross the 27-wicket mark in a single IPL season.
2012: Morne Morkel Wins for Delhi
South African fast bowler Morne Morkel won the Purple Cap in 2012 while playing for Delhi Daredevils.
Morkel picked up 25 wickets in 16 matches. His pace, bounce and ability to attack the stumps made him a major threat during the season.
2013: Dwayne Bravo Sets the Record
The 2013 IPL season was special because Dwayne Bravo became the first bowler to take 30 or more wickets in a single IPL season.
Playing for Chennai Super Kings, Bravo took an incredible 32 wickets in 18 matches.
His variations, slower balls and effectiveness at the death made him extremely difficult to score against. His 32-wicket tally remained the single-season Purple Cap record until Harshal Patel matched it in 2021.
2014 and 2015: Mohit Sharma and Dwayne Bravo
Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Mohit Sharma won the Purple Cap in 2014 after taking 23 wickets.
A year later, Dwayne Bravo returned to the top of the wicket-taking charts. He took 26 wickets in 2015, becoming the first player to win the Purple Cap twice.
Bravo’s two victories came in 2013 and 2015.
2016 and 2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Back-to-Back Purple Caps
Bhuvneshwar Kumar became the next major Purple Cap story.
The Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler won the award in 2016 with 23 wickets and then successfully defended it in 2017 with 26 wickets.
Bhuvneshwar’s back-to-back Purple Caps highlighted his consistency. His ability to swing the ball early and bowl accurate yorkers at the end of an innings made him one of the most dependable T20 bowlers in the competition.
2018: Andrew Tye Leads Kings XI Punjab
Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye won the Purple Cap in 2018.
Playing for Kings XI Punjab, Tye took 24 wickets in 14 matches. His variations, including slower deliveries and changes of pace, proved particularly effective on Indian pitches.
2019: Imran Tahir Becomes Purple Cap Winner
South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir took the Purple Cap in 2019.
Representing Chennai Super Kings, Tahir collected 26 wickets in 17 matches.
His energetic celebrations became almost as famous as his bowling. More importantly, his ability to attack batters in the middle overs made him one of CSK’s most important players.
2020: Kagiso Rabada’s First Purple Cap
Kagiso Rabada made his first appearance among the Purple Cap winners in 2020.
The South African fast bowler took 30 wickets in 17 matches for Delhi Capitals. His pace, bounce and ability to bowl at the death made him one of the most dangerous bowlers in the tournament.
His 30 wickets placed him behind only the 32-wicket seasons of Bravo and, at that time, the record remained a major benchmark.
2021: Harshal Patel Matches the 32-Wicket Record
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Harshal Patel produced a remarkable 2021 campaign.
He took 32 wickets in 15 matches, matching Dwayne Bravo’s record for the most wickets by a bowler in a single IPL season.
Harshal’s slower balls and clever variations became a major weapon throughout the season.
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2022: Yuzvendra Chahal Wins the Purple Cap
Rajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal won the Purple Cap in 2022 with 27 wickets in 17 matches.
Chahal was one of the most important bowlers in Rajasthan’s run to the final. His ability to take wickets in the middle overs made a major difference for the franchise.
2023: Mohammed Shami Leads Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans fast bowler Mohammed Shami enjoyed a brilliant 2023 season.
Shami finished with 28 wickets in 17 matches, winning the Purple Cap for the first time.
His new-ball bowling was particularly effective, and he played a major role in Gujarat Titans’ successful campaign.
2024: Harshal Patel Wins His Second Purple Cap
Harshal Patel returned to the top of the wicket-taking charts in 2024.
Playing for Punjab Kings, he took 24 wickets and won his second Purple Cap. His first had come in 2021, when he took 32 wickets for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
This made Harshal only the third player at that point to win the Purple Cap twice.
2025: Prasidh Krishna Takes the Award
Gujarat Titans pacer Prasidh Krishna became the 2025 Purple Cap winner after taking 25 wickets in 15 matches.
He finished ahead of Chennai Super Kings spinner Noor Ahmad, who took 24 wickets. Krishna’s best bowling figures were 4/41, and his performances were an important part of Gujarat’s campaign.
2026: Kagiso Rabada Wins His Second Purple Cap
The 2026 Purple Cap race was one of the closest in recent IPL history.
Kagiso Rabada entered the final level with Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar on 28 wickets. Rabada then took a wicket in the final against RCB, moving to 29 wickets and finishing one ahead of Bhuvneshwar.
The Gujarat Titans fast bowler eventually finished the season with 29 wickets in 17 matches, an economy rate of 9.68 and best bowling figures of 3/25.
The result gave Rabada his second Purple Cap, having previously won the award in 2020.
Gujarat Titans also became the first team to have the Purple Cap winner in consecutive seasons, with Prasidh Krishna winning in 2025 and Rabada following in 2026.
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Players Who Have Won the Purple Cap More Than Once
Through the 2026 season, four bowlers have won the Purple Cap twice:
| Player | Purple Caps | Winning Seasons |
| Dwayne Bravo | 2 | 2013, 2015 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 | 2016, 2017 |
| Harshal Patel | 2 | 2021, 2024 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2 | 2020, 2026 |
No bowler has won the Purple Cap three times yet.
Most Wickets in a Single IPL Season
The record for the most wickets in one IPL season is currently shared by Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel.
- Dwayne Bravo – 32 wickets in 2013
- Harshal Patel – 32 wickets in 2021
Both reached the 32-wicket mark in 32? No—the correct figures are 18 matches for Bravo in 2013 and 15 matches for Harshal Patel in 2021.
Their record remains one of the toughest bowling benchmarks in IPL history.
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Top Single-Season Purple Cap Wicket Tallies
| Rank | Bowler | Season | Wickets |
| 1 | Dwayne Bravo | 2013 | 32 |
| 1 | Harshal Patel | 2021 | 32 |
| 3 | Kagiso Rabada | 2020 | 30 |
| 4 | Lasith Malinga | 2011 | 28 |
| 4 | Mohammed Shami | 2023 | 28 |
| 4 | Kagiso Rabada | 2026 | 29 |
Note: Rabada’s 2026 total of 29 puts him third overall, behind the two 32-wicket campaigns and ahead of his own 2020 total of 30? Actually, 30 is higher than 29, so the correct order is: Bravo and Harshal Patel (32), Rabada (2020) (30), Rabada (2026) (29), followed by Malinga and Shami (28).
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Purple Cap History and the Changing Face of IPL Bowling
The Purple Cap history tells an interesting story about how IPL bowling has developed.
The early seasons were dominated by bowlers such as Sohail Tanvir, RP Singh, Lasith Malinga and Morne Morkel. Later, the tournament saw greater variety, with spinners such as Pragyan Ojha, Imran Tahir, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mohammed Shami playing major roles in the race.
The rise of death-overs specialists also changed the competition. Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel showed how slower balls, yorkers and variations could be just as effective as raw pace.
Kagiso Rabada’s two Purple Caps underline another trend: world-class fast bowlers continue to have a major impact in the IPL.
Frequently Asked Questions About Purple Cap.
What is the Purple Cap in IPL?
The Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler who takes the most wickets in an IPL season.
Who won the first Purple Cap?
Sohail Tanvir won the first Purple Cap in IPL history in 2008 after taking 22 wickets for Rajasthan Royals.
Who has won the most Purple Caps?
No player has won the Purple Cap more than twice. Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Kagiso Rabada have each won it twice.
Who has taken the most wickets in one IPL season?
Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel share the record with 32 wickets each. Bravo achieved the mark in 2013, while Harshal did it in 2021.
