IPL 2026 Purple Cap List: Most Wickets, Top Bowlers and Final Standings

The IPL 2026 Purple Cap list features some of the biggest bowling performances of the season. Gujarat Titans fast bowler Kagiso Rabada finished at the top of the wicket-taking charts with 29 wickets in 17 matches, beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who ended the season with 28 wickets.

Rabada’s outstanding campaign earned him the IPL 2026 Purple Cap, awarded to the season’s leading wicket-taker. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished second, while Rajasthan Royals’ Jofra Archer completed the top three with 25 wickets.

The final IPL 2026 bowling table also included Rashid Khan, Anshul Kamboj, Eshan Malinga, Mohammed Siraj, Rasikh Salam, Kartik Tyagi and Jason Holder among the leading wicket-takers.

IPL 2026 Purple Cap List By Most Wickets

Here is the final IPL 2026 Purple Cap list based on wickets taken during the tournament:

The final figures broadly match the season-ending statistical tables published by Indian Express, Wisden and other leading cricket publications. 

Who Won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap?

Kagiso Rabada won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap after finishing the season with 29 wickets for Gujarat Titans.

Rabada played all 17 matches for GT and bowled 64.4 overs, conceding 626 runs. His bowling average was 21.58, while his economy rate was 9.68. He also recorded five three-wicket hauls during the campaign.

His final wicket came during the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rabada entered the final with 28 wickets and moved ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar after dismissing Devdutt Padikkal, taking his season tally to 29. 

The one-wicket difference between Rabada and Bhuvneshwar made the Purple Cap race particularly close. Rabada ultimately became the season’s leading wicket-taker after a consistently strong campaign across the league stage and playoffs.

1. Kagiso Rabada – 29 Wickets

Kagiso Rabada was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2026 and finished with 29 wickets in 17 matches.

The Gujarat Titans pacer bowled 388 deliveries and conceded 626 runs. His best bowling figures were 3/25, and he finished with an economy rate of 9.68.

Rabada’s biggest advantage in the Purple Cap race was his consistency. He took wickets throughout the season rather than relying on one or two exceptional performances. His five three-wicket hauls demonstrate how frequently he was able to make breakthroughs.

With 29 wickets, Rabada finished one wicket ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and four ahead of Jofra Archer.

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 28 Wickets

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished just behind Rabada with 28 wickets in 16 matches.

Although he missed out on the Purple Cap by a single wicket, Bhuvneshwar produced one of the most efficient bowling campaigns among the leading wicket-takers.

He bowled 63 overs and conceded 501 runs, giving him an impressive 7.95 economy rate. His bowling average of 17.89 was also better than Rabada’s 21.58.

Bhuvneshwar’s best figures were 4/23, and he recorded six three-wicket hauls during the season. His combination of wicket-taking ability and economy made him one of the most effective bowlers in IPL 2026.

He entered the final as one of the leading contenders for the Purple Cap, but Rabada’s late breakthrough in the final allowed the Gujarat Titans bowler to finish first. 

3. Jofra Archer – 25 Wickets

Jofra Archer was the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2026, finishing with 25 wickets in 16 matches for Rajasthan Royals.

Archer bowled 60 overs and conceded 559 runs. His best bowling performance was 3/17, while his economy rate stood at 9.31.

His 25 wickets placed him three wickets behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar and four behind Rabada. Archer was therefore comfortably among the season’s leading wicket-taking bowlers.

His pace and ability to generate breakthroughs with the new ball and at key stages made him one of Rajasthan Royals’ most important bowling options.

4. Rashid Khan – 21 Wickets

Gujarat Titans had two bowlers in the top five, with Rashid Khan finishing fourth with 21 wickets.

Rashid played all 17 matches and bowled 56.5 overs. He conceded 516 runs and recorded a best bowling performance of 4/33.

His economy rate of 9.07 was considerably lower than several other bowlers in the top 10. Rashid also recorded a bowling average of 24.57 and a strike rate of 16.23.

His 21 wickets tied him with Anshul Kamboj, although Rashid finished ahead in the overall table.

5. Anshul Kamboj – 21 Wickets

Anshul Kamboj was one of the standout Indian bowlers in the IPL 2026 Purple Cap race.

Representing Chennai Super Kings, Kamboj took 21 wickets in 14 matches. He bowled 50.2 overs and conceded 530 runs.

His best figures were 3/22, while his economy rate was 10.52. Although his economy rate was higher than many bowlers above him, his wicket-taking frequency kept him firmly inside the top five.

Kamboj’s 21 wickets also meant that he finished level with Rashid Khan in the wicket column.

6. Eshan Malinga – 20 Wickets

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Eshan Malinga finished sixth on the IPL 2026 Purple Cap list with 20 wickets in 15 matches.

Malinga bowled 54.2 overs and conceded 507 runs. His best bowling figures were 4/32, and he maintained an economy rate of 9.33.

His 20 wickets placed him just one wicket behind the two players tied on 21 wickets and two behind Jofra Archer.

7. Mohammed Siraj – 19 Wickets

Mohammed Siraj finished the season with 19 wickets in 17 matches for Gujarat Titans.

Siraj bowled 62 overs and conceded 562 runs. His best figures were 3/26, while his economy rate was 9.06.

His 19 wickets put him seventh in the final standings. Importantly, Gujarat Titans had three bowlers inside the top 10: Rabada, Rashid Khan and Siraj.

That depth played a significant role in giving Gujarat a strong bowling attack throughout the tournament.

8. Rasikh Salam – 19 Wickets

RCB also had two bowlers inside the top 10, with Rasikh Salam finishing eighth.

Salam took 19 wickets in just 12 matches, making his wicket-taking rate particularly notable. He bowled 42.5 overs and conceded 405 runs.

His best figures were 4/24, and he finished with an economy rate of 9.45.

Despite playing five fewer matches than Rabada and Siraj, Salam matched Siraj’s 19 wickets.

9. Kartik Tyagi – 18 Wickets

Kartik Tyagi finished ninth with 18 wickets in 14 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders.

He bowled 51 overs and conceded 498 runs. His best bowling figures were 3/22, while his economy rate was 9.76.

Tyagi’s 18 wickets placed him ahead of the final player in the top 10, Jason Holder.

10. Jason Holder – 17 Wickets

Gujarat Titans’ Jason Holder completed the top 10 with 17 wickets in 11 matches.

Holder bowled 38.2 overs and conceded 290 runs. He had the best economy rate among the top 10, at 7.56, and his bowling average was 17.05.

His best figures were 4/24.

Holder’s numbers stand out because he played only 11 matches but still managed to finish among the IPL 2026’s 10 leading wicket-takers.

IPL 2026 Purple Cap Race: Key Highlights

The final wicket-taking table reveals several interesting trends from IPL 2026.

Rabada and Bhuvneshwar dominated the race

The battle for first place was extremely close. Rabada finished with 29 wickets, while Bhuvneshwar ended on 28.

That meant the Purple Cap was decided by just one wicket.

Three Gujarat Titans bowlers finished in the top 10

Gujarat Titans had an impressive representation at the top of the bowling table. Rabada led the competition with 29 wickets, Rashid Khan took 21, and Mohammed Siraj collected 19.

Jason Holder also finished in the top 10 with 17 wickets.

Indian bowlers made a strong showing

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammed Siraj, Rasikh Salam and Kartik Tyagi all finished among the top 10.

That gives India five representatives in the final top 10, compared with five overseas players: Rabada, Archer, Rashid Khan, Eshan Malinga and Jason Holder.

Bhuvneshwar had the best economy rate among the leading wicket-takers

Among the top five wicket-takers, Bhuvneshwar’s economy rate of 7.95 was the lowest.

His average of 17.89 was also better than Rabada, Archer, Rashid, and Kamboj. This demonstrates that the Purple Cap is primarily determined by wickets, rather than economy rate or bowling average alone.

What Is the Purple Cap in IPL?

The Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler who takes the most wickets in an IPL season.

During the tournament, the leading wicket-taker is recognized as the Purple Cap holder, but the player who finishes the season with the highest wicket tally ultimately wins the award.

If two bowlers finish with the same number of wickets, the higher economy rate is not the deciding factor; the IPL’s tie-breaking rules determine the winner based on the relevant bowling performance criteria.

The award has become one of the most prestigious individual honours in the IPL, alongside the Orange Cap for the tournament’s leading run-scorer.

Final IPL 2026 Purple Cap Standings

The IPL 2026 Purple Cap list ultimately belonged to Kagiso Rabada, who finished with 29 wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar came extremely close with 28, while Jofra Archer completed the top three with 25.

Rashid Khan and Anshul Kamboj both finished on 21 wickets, followed by Eshan Malinga on 20. Mohammed Siraj and Rasikh Salam collected 19 each, while Kartik Tyagi and Jason Holder completed the top 10.

The final standings underline how competitive the IPL 2026 bowling season was. Rabada’s consistency, Bhuvneshwar’s efficiency and Archer’s wicket-taking ability defined the top of the leaderboard, while several Indian bowlers also made a major impact.

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