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Most expensive bowling spells in IPL history: Mohit Sharma breaks the record

Most expensive spells in IPL
by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

Mohit Sharma conceded the most runs ever by a bowler in an IPL game when Delhi Capitals played Gujarat Titans in Delhi today (April 24). Here is the list of most expensive bowling spells in IPL history.

5. 66 runs – Kwena Maphaka (MI), Arshdeep Singh (PBKS), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (PBKS), Ishant Sharma (SRH)

Four bowlers have conceded 66 runs in a spell in IPL history. Ishant was the first, in 2013 against CSK. By contrast, his new-ball partner Dale Steyn conceded just 17 runs in his four overs in that game. Mujeeb conceded 66 runs in four overs in an IPL 2019 game against SRH in Hyderabad. SRH won that game by 45 runs. Arshdeep conceded 66 in 3.5 overs last year (2023) as Mumbai Indians chased down 215 with seven balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

The 17-year-old Kwena Maphaka, making his debut for MI in IPL 2024, joined this infamous list courtesy of a brutal assault by Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma that saw SRH pile up the then-highest total in IPL.

4. 68 runs – Reece Topley (RCB)

Topley was at the mercy of the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters in Bengaluru earlier this season. His first over went for 20 runs before he made somewhat of a comeback in his second and third overs, conceding just 23 and taking a wicket. But all hell broke loose in his last over that went for 25 runs including five boundaries as SRH broke their own record of the highest IPL total that they had set against MI a few matches back.

3. 69 runs – Yash Dayal (GT)

Rinku famously shot into limelight in IPL 2023 when he hit five sixes off the last five balls of the match to win KKR a game that looked out of reach against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. The unfortunate bowler in question? Dayal, who eventually had to be given a break for a few games to recover from the psychological impact it had on him. At the time, it was the second-most expensive spell in IPL history.

2. 70 runs – Basil Thampi (SRH)

Thampi would have known that he was in for a pasting in the IPL 2018 clash between RCB and SRH two balls into his spell. Both were hit for sixes by Moeen Ali as he took 19 off Thampi’s first over. Two fours and a six followed in his second. After a quiet over that saw 14 runs being conceded, Thampi was hit for 19 more in his last over to become the first bowler to touch the 70-run mark in an IPL game.

1. 73 runs – Mohit Sharma (GT)

Coming in with the reputation of being a gun death bowler who revived his IPL career out of the blue in 2023, Mohit was held back for three overs in the last five by GT captain Shubman Gill against Delhi Capitals at the tiny Arun Jaitley Stadium. After conceding 12 in his first over, his least expensive of the night, Mohit gave 16, 14, and 31 off his next three overs to end up with figures of 4-0-73-0. A couple of matches back, his team was all out for just 16 runs more than what he conceded in this game. Currently, it stands as the joint seventh-most expensive spell in T20 history and the most expensive in the IPL.

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