T20 and Indian Premier League (IPL) maybe looked upon as batsmen’s game but eventually it is the bowlers that win you the game, that restrict the opponent to a total which is either gettable on the wicket or to a total less than what they scored in the first innings. This explains how a team like Sunrisers Hyderabad managed to lift the IPL trophy and a batting heavy Royal Challengers Bangalore couldn’t get over the final hurdle. But to be a good bowler in a batsmen friendly game is quite a challenge particularly when bowling in the first six overs or at the end.

Only few bowlers have managed to meet this challenge consistently over the years.

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Here’s a list of top wicket takers in the Indian Premier League.

Lasith Malinga

One of the finest proponents of the Yorker and the slower ball in the modern day game, Lasith Malinga holds the record for taking 4 wickets in 4 balls in World T20. His slingy round arm action can be tough to read and his pace and ability to generate bounce from absolutely flat surfaces makes life extremely difficult for a batsman. It was only when Malinga returned to his lethal best that Mumbai Indians fought back from nowhere to win the title in 2015. Malinga picked up 24 wickets from 15 games in that season and missed the mark for most wickets by just two dismissals that year. Malinga was ruled out of the 2016 season of the IPL due to injury.

Also Read: Kohli, Raina, Gayle, Gambhir, Sharma: Top 5 batsmen of Indian Premier League

Amit Mishra

One of the most successful underdogs of Indian Cricket, Amit Mishra is an orthodox leg spinner who is a great wicket taking option to have in your side. Amit Mishra came into limelight when he took a hat-trick in the 2008 IPL. Mishra has been a consistent wicket taker and he has not given anything away to the batsmen. Mishra has also made some useful contributions with the bat but primarily being a lower order batsman. As an opponent you just can’t take Mishra lightly.

Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo is a match winner in the shortest format of the game. A power hitter and a decent paced bowler, Bravo can deceive you with his limited skills. Add to that, Bravo is an outstanding fielder and can save dozens of runs on the field and take stunners to give the team an upper edge. Bravo is an asset that you cannot say no to in your team. This explains why Bravo is so popular among T20 teams all over the world.

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh led the Mumbai Indians to their maiden title in 2011, he was also the preferred spinner in the Indian team in the 2011 World Cup. It helps that Harbhajan Singh has been with this side from the first season and is an experienced campaigner which is a great plus especially in pressure knock out games. His consistent show in the IPL was rewarded with the recall to the Indian team and Bhajji has even contributed with the bat, sometimes even going in to bat at no. 3 to accelerate the run rate for the side.

Piyush Chawla

Chawla became a known face when he bowled Sachin Tendulkar off a googly in a Challenger Series match several years ago. Chawla was also part of the World Cup winning 2011 squad. Chawla has changed his bowling style to meet with the demands of the T20 format and bowls quick and flat. Chawla is a handy lower order batsman and scores consistently.