IPL 2026 Purple Cap: Bhuvneshwar Kumar reclaims top spot with record-breaking feat
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has reclaimed the IPL 2026 Purple Cap lead with 17 wickets after a stellar 3/28 performance. He now leads Eshan Malinga by two wickets, with Jofra Archer, Anshul Kamboj, and Kagiso Rabada closely trailing. The race for the highest wicket-taker remains intensely competitive as the league stage progresses.
NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Thursday reclaimed the top spot in the IPL 2026 Purple Cap race for the highest wicket-taker this season. Bhuvneshwar returned impressive figures of 3 for 28 in four overs against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, as he (352) became only the second Indian bowler to take 350 or more T20 wickets after Yuzvendra Chahal. Bhuvneshwar now has 17 scalps from nine games at an impressive economy rate of 7.
54, and has two wickets more than second-placed Eshan Malinga (15) of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Purple Cap race. Malinga had risen to the top of the standings after a disciplined outing against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, but fell behind Bhuvi again after the veteran pacer’s exploits against GT. Malinga returned figures of 1 for 29 in his four overs vs MI, maintaining an economy rate of 7.
20 in a high-scoring contest. With this performance, he took his tally to 15 wickets this season, moving past a tightly packed group of bowlers who were level on 14 wickets. RR’s Jofra Archer, CSK’s Anshul Kamboj and GT's Kagiso Rabada are tied on 14 wickets each, but are placed third, fourth and fifth respectively in the standings based on economy rate.
Archer has an economy of 8. 27, followed by Kamboj with 8. 56 and Rabada (9.