Most Wickets in PSL History

In just over two weeks, the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League will commence, with local stars and international players raring to go.

In cricket, and particularly the 20-over T20 format, bowlers who have an eye for taking wickets are a prized commodity and lead the attack.

The PSL has seen many intense bowling performances, but which players are leading the way when it comes to dismissals in the league?

Ahead of the first game between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalanders on April 11, SportsBoom looks at the top PSL bowlers.

Most Wickets in PSL: Top 10 List

With the 2025 Pakistan Super League draft finalised and teams beginning their preparation for the new campaign, all eyes will be on the top batsmen and bowlers.

Last season saw a number of position changes among the league’s most celebrated wicket-takers, although the top three for dismissals was unchanged.

Wahab Riaz

The left-arm pace bowler joined Peshawar Zalmi in the inaugural PSL in 2016 and has consistently justified his Platinum status and purchase price. In the 2017 edition, Wahab Riaz claimed the most wickets with 30 dismissals in 19 games. Despite retiring from active cricket in 2023, his record of 113 Pakistan Super League wickets remains unbeaten but is likely to be bettered in 2025.

Hasan Ali

Hasan Ali has enjoyed something of a journeyman career in the Pakistan Super League, representing Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings - which is his current team. While his second position on the all-time PSL dismissals list did not change in the 2024 edition, he surpassed 100 wickets and is only five scalps behind Wahab Riaz heading into the new season.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Known as the Eagle for his attacking style, Shaheen Afridi also reached the 100-wicket milestone in PSL 2024 and retained his third position for all-time dismissals. He captained Lahore Qalandars to a maiden Pakistan Super League crown in 2022 and helped his franchise become the first to retain the title in 2023. Given his prodigious talents, Afridi could become the league’s most successful bowler.

Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates the wicket of Babar Azam//Getty Images

Shadab Khan

The Islamabad United captain remained in fourth position for overall PSL dismissals after his team’s 2024 title win. His current tally is expected to move above 100 wickets in the new campaign thanks to his tricky spin and determination. He would also be aiming to help IU become the next team to defend the championship and his experience would be of critical importance.

Faheem Ashraf

With his domestic franchise captain to draw inspiration from, Islamabad United’s Faheem Ashraf would hope to perform better than his 2024 PSL season, where he contributed only six wickets. The medium-pacer retained his position as the league’s fifth-highest wicket-taker but a noteworthy season with the ball might see him surpass Shadab Khan to claim fourth place on the list.

Mohammad Amir

Now with Quetta Gladiators, Mohammad Amir is already a history-maker as the first pace bowler to claim a hat-trick in the Pakistan Super League. During the second match of the T20 league’s inaugural edition, while still a member of Karachi Kings, he claimed three wickets and guided his team to a seven-wicket victory. Amir went on to claim a trio of four-wicket hauls during his domestic career.

Mohammad Nawaz

Despite moving on to other franchises, Mohammed Nawaz will always have a special place in Quetta Gladiators history. In the opening game of the inaugural Pakistan Super League, he recorded figures of 4/13 in four overs and ended the 2016 season fourth on the overall dismissal table. Gladiators won the game against Islamabad United by eight wickets and finished the campaign as runners-up.

Mohammad Nawaz bowls during the PSL//Getty Images

Haris Rauf

After joining Lahore Qalandars as a youth player, Haris Rauf quickly rose up the ranks as a fast bowler with tremendous promise. In the domestic scene, he recorded figures of 4/23 in his team’s second game of the 2019 season, which ended in a 22-run win over Karachi Kings despite setting a lower total of 138. He also played an important role in Qalandars’ maiden title victory in 2022.

Imad Wasim

The seasoned campaigner, currently with Islamabad United, proved his worth in remarkable fashion last year. During the 2024 final against Multan Sultans, Imad Wasim claimed a record-setting five-wicket haul to wrap up the title for his franchise. In addition to several key outings, he also boasts the best economy among the top 10 PSL wicket-takers at just a shade above seven.

Usama Mir

A relatively young spin bowler, Usama Mir had a marquee 2024 in the Pakistan Super League for second-placed Multan Sultans, finishing the campaign with the most wickets - 24 dismissals. He ended with record-setting figures of 6/40 in Match 14 against Lahore Qalandars last year, surpassing Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi’s previous record figures of 5/7 which were set eight years earlier.

Outside the Top 10

A number of notable names were once listed in the top 10 but have since fallen out after the 2024 season wrapped up.

Pakistan-born Imran Tahir, who represented South Africa internationally, enjoyed his time in the PSL, claiming 56 wickets in 44 games. Unorthodox left-armer Sohail Tanvir claimed 55 wickets in the T20 league. Quetta Gladiators’ Mohammad Hasnain is the final bowler to have reached 50 dismissals so far and will be aiming to scale the ranking in 2025.