Top Bowling Performances in PSL (2016 - 2024): Record-Breaking Figures to Know

The tenth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) awaits us with plenty of excitement on the cards. Pakistan’s premier T20 extravaganza will be indifferent from the past seasons as it will be conducted in April-May unlike in the spring (February- March). It will clash with the Indian Premier League due to their action-packed domestic season followed by the Champions Trophy staged in a hybrid model, one of whose venues is Pakistan.

While the exact schedule of the season is yet to be revealed, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have announced the Draft on January 11. As per the official release, Lahore Qalandars will be making the first pick, followed by the Karachi Kings and the Quetta Gladiators. Each side will get to pick three players each from Platinum, Diamond and Gold categories.

Islamabad United, led by Shadab Khan are the defending champions and will be eyeing to defend the prestigious title. With each team gearing up to make necessary amendments in the player’s draft, let us dive deep into the best moments from the past seasons. In this piece, we shall hover through the best bowling figures in PSL history.

Ravi Bopara 6-16, 2016

Former England allrounder Ravi Bopara has the best bowling figures in a PSL innings to his name. Bowling right-arm medium, Bopara picked up 6 wickets against Lahore Qalandars while playing for Karachi Kings in the first edition of the Pakistan Super League in 2016. He became the first bowler to take 6 wickets in an innings in the tournament’s history. Lahore Qalandars won the toss and put the Kings to bat first. Bopara top-scored with 71 not out to help the team score 178/5. In response, the Qalandars openers added 98 for the first wicket. Bopara got rid of Chris Gayle off his first ball and took 3 wickets in 4 balls during his 3rd over. His performance put him at the top of the run-scoring and wicket-taking charts of the season.

Faheem Ashraf 6-19, 2019

In the 2019 season, medium-pace bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf bowled a terrific spell to take his side Islamabad United to win against Lahore Qalandars. The base was set by the United batters who put up a mammoth 238/3 on the board. The Qalandars openers added 51 inside the 5th over when Faheem struck with his second ball to remove Anton Devcich. In his next over, he took the prized scalp of Fakhar Zaman and Haris Sohail before coming back in the 15th over to pick Agha Salman and later Sohail Akhtar and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 18th over to kill the chase and give the team a 49-run win.

Umar Gul 6-24, 2018

Pakistan’s legendary T20 fast bowler Umar Gul who has the record of the best bowling figures in T20I for Pakistan picked up a 6-wicket haul in the 2018 edition of PSL. After losing the toss, Gul’s side Multan Sultans batted first and scored 152/5 in their 20 overs. Gul was the second change bowler for the side and picked up Shane Watson in his very first over.

Asad Shafiq was the next batter to fall into Gul’s trap in the bowler’s very next over. He returned for his second spell in the 17th over and picked up big wickets of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Rilee Rossouw making the game interesting. He was hit for a couple of sixes in the penultimate over by Mohammad Nawaz and Anwar Ali but responded claiming both of their wickets. With 9 required, Kieron Pollard, bowling the final over, failed to prevent the chasing side from winning the game.

Usama Mir 6-40, 2024

One of the current wrist spinners that showed promising signs in Pakistan Cricket, Usama Mir has had his moments in the PSL. The Sialkot-born earned his best figures during PSL 2024 where he ran through the Lahore Qalandars batting order to deprive them of a hefty chase against the Multan Sultans. 

Batting first, the Sultans lost Mohammad Rizwan early but Usman Khan’s blitzkrieg 90 coupled with Iftikhar Ahmed’s 18-ball 40 cameo propelled them to 214 in the first innings. In reply, the Qalandars top and middle order kept the side well-placed by the 14th over as the net run rate lurked around the nine-run-per-over mark despite losing half their wickets. However, Usama Mir’s spell during the middle and the slog over phase dented their hopes to chase down the huge total. Having outsmarted Shaheen Afridi in the 13th over, he got the better of Rassie van der Dussen, George Linde, and Jahandad Khan in the 15th over. In his next over, Mir cleared the clutter by bundling the opposition for 154 and turning the game on its head with a six-for.

Shaheen Shah Afridi 5-4, 2018

Considered as one of the most lethal left arm pacers in the world, Shaheen Shah Afridi started as a 17-year-old rookie in the 2018 edition of the Pakistan Super League. Featuring for the Lahore Qalandars against Multan Sultans, he was the team’s sixth bowler but bowled the most beautiful spell cleaning up the Sultans' middle and lower order. Introduced in the 14th over, Shaheen was wicketless in his first over and picked Shoaib Malik, Ross Whiteley and Saif Badar in 4 balls in his next. Tasked to bowl the final over, he trapped Junaid Khan in front of the stumps and cleaned up Mohammad Irfan in consecutive balls to complete his fifer.

Shahid Afridi 5-7, 2016

Undisputedly Pakistan’s greatest white ball allrounder Shahid Afridi picked up his career-best T20 figures in the inaugural edition of PSL. Playing for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators, Afridi lost the toss as a skipper with Gladiators electing to bat first. Afridi introduced himself in the last over of powerplay and conceded just 2 runs for a wicket in the first over. He got 2 big wickets in his 3rd over in form of Mohammad Nawaz and Sarfaraz Ahmed before striking twice in as many balls during his final over to remove Mohammad Nabi and Elton Chigumbura finishing a match-winning 5-wicket haul.

Mohammad Sami 5-8, 2016

In the 2016 PSL eliminator, veteran fast bowler Mohammad Sami produced a classical and disciplined bowling spell against the Karachi Kings. Opening the bowling with Mohammad Irfan, both the pacers choked runs with Sami taking wickets at regular intervals. He bowled Riki Wessels in his second over then got the big breakthrough in the 17th removing the top scorer Ravi Bopara for 37 and Ryan ten Doeschate; both wickets from short deliveries in the same over. Imad Wasim and Usama Mir became his 4th and 5th wickets respectively in the penultimate over. It was Sami’s second-best performance in T20 cricket.

Ihsanullah 5-12, 2023

20-year-old pace bowler Ihsanullah made waves in the first match of the 2023 season where he produced some scorching deliveries, hitting the 150 kph mark consistently with good line and lengths to take a five-wicket haul. His trademark celebration resembling an archer was also a fan favourite. Playing for Multan Sultans and bowling in the first innings, he picked up senior batter Sarfaraz Ahmed in his very first over conceding only a single. His next over was a double wicket maiden in which he found himself on a hattrick. He picked up 2 more wickets in his third over and finished an economic spell of 12/5 that included a maiden.

Rashid Khan 5-20, 2021

Afghanistan’s wonder boy leg spinner Rashid Khan weaved his magic in the 2021 PSL edition for Lahore Qalandars against Peshawar Zalmi. It was his first 5-wicket haul in franchise-based T20 cricket. Batting first, Qalandars put 170/8 on the board. Rashid conceded 15 runs in his first over but made a wonderful comeback conceding 2 runs and taking wickets of David Miller and Rovman Powell in his next. His third over witnessed the fall of Sherfane Rutherford and Fabian Allen in a double-wicket maiden. He finished off his spell in good fashion conceding 3 runs for Wahab Riaz’s wicket. Qalandars eventually won the game by 10 runs.