On This Day (May 4): 6/14 – IPL’s Best Bowling Figure Record That Remained Intact for 11 Years

Since 2008, only three bowlers have had a six-wicket haul, and Sohail Tanvir was one of those bowlers

Indian cricket enthusiasts who have been watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2008 remember how the tournament began with Brendon McCullum’s 158 not out. However, the inaugural season was not only about batting records but also bowling records, including IPL’s first six-wicket haul from PAK bowler Sohail Tanvir. Given that PAK players have been banned from the league due to India and PAK’s geopolitical differences, Tanvir’s name will remain etched in the IPL’s record book forever.

Four ducks

In the 24th match of the IPL 2008, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had clashed against each other, but the game turned out to be heavily one-sided, thanks to Tanvir’s unorthodox left-arm bowling action.

Tanvir started off with an inswinger, trapping Parthiv Patel for a duck, followed by Stephen Fleming, who also got out in the same manner. Two wickets for CSK fell in the first over.

The quirky, wrong-footed action bowler then dismissed Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, giving away only two runs in two overs with three wickets in his pocket. However, Tanvir wasn’t done yet.

In the death overs, Tanvir dismissed the likes of Albie Morkel, Muttiah Muralitharan and Makhaya Ntini, registering a bowling figure of 6/14. In his four overs, he bowled 17 dot balls and helped Rajasthan restrict Chennai to just 109 runs.

Worldwide recognition

On a Sports Yaari documentary, Tanvir expressed that the bowling figure in IPL gave him worldwide recognition, stating, “The spell against CSK was one of the best spells I have ever bowled. I was bowling well in IPL before that, but it won't be wrong if I say the spell against Chennai gave me worldwide recognition.

Seamers get help early on in Jaipur. The ball was moving around. I dismissed Parthiv Patel and Stephen Fleming leg-before, the ball was certainly doing a bit. In the second spell, my slower ones were quite effective. I still remember I had taken five wickets while conceding only three runs before Makhaya Ntini came in and scored 10 runs against me.”

A record for 11 years

Tanvir’s record remained intact for 11 years in the IPL until the West Indies bowler Alzarri Joseph grabbed six wickets while conceding 12 runs, two less than Tanvir’s figure in 3.4 overs. Alzarri racked up the figure on his debut for the Mumbai Indians in 2019 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, halting their innings at 136.

Purple Cap winner

Tanvir not only set the IPL’s best bowling record, which stood for 11 years, but also won the tourney’s first-ever Purple Cap. He grabbed 22 wickets in 11 matches while registering an economy rate of 6.46.

Given the differences between India and PAK, PAK players are unlikely to play for the IPL ever again, but Tanvir’s bowling record will come up time and again when the discussion is about bowling in the IPL.

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