Five Bowlers Who Have Bowled Most Dot Balls In A Single IPL Season

Ever since Twenty20 cricket became popular, the number of dot ball has gone down considerably. Rarely in T20 matches do you see a dot ball because the batsmen are always looking to hit the ball hard. This is why players who bowl dot balls consistently in the 20-overs format are difficult to find.

The Indian Premier League (IPL), is renowned for its batsmen but in the same league, some bowlers make life difficult for the batters by bowling dot balls. Some players, not only trouble batsmen consistently in the T20 format, they create records by doing so.

Today, we will be taking a look at five such players who have bowled the most number of dot balls in a single IPL season.

There are two things to note here, first that all the bowlers in this list are pacers, coincidentally, and second that even Indian players feature on this illustrious list.

Five bowlers who have bowled most dot balls in a single IPL season:

5) Ashish Nehra

Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra is ranked at number five on this list due to his exploits with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2015. He was going through a purple patch that having, troubled a lot of batsmen that season.

Nehra bowled 170 dot balls in IPL 8, which means he bowled 28.2 overs without giving away any runs that term. The veteran bowled a total of 62 overs, and this speaks volumes about the incredible talent that he was.

The Delhi-born player represented CSK in 16 matches in 2015, having amassed 22 wickets to his name, at an average of 20.4.

Nehra had an economy rate of 7.24 throughout that season, and he picked up a four-wicket haul as well, in one of the games, although the left-arm pacer couldn’t help CSK win the title.

4) RP Singh

RP Singh, who used to play for Deccan Chargers in the IPL was a true phenom. In 2009, he was having a spectacular season, and by the end of it, Singh even won the purple cap.

The former Indian international bowled 171 dot ball that year, which translates to 28.3 overs, where Singh kept the batsmen quiet. Overall, he bowled 59.4 overs and helped Deccan Chargers to their maiden IPL title.

The 34-year-old played 16 matches in 2009 and registered 23 scalps to his name, at an average of 18.13.

In that period, his economy rate was a handsome 6.98 and the left-arm pacer, similar to Ashish Nehra, managed a four-wicket once, that term.

3) Lasith Malinga

This list would have been incomplete without the inclusion of Sri Lanka’s legendary pacer Lasith Malinga. He has been a core reason and one of the mainstays in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) success down the years.

In 2011, Malinga was having the time of his life, as he bowled an incredible 183 dot balls.

Out of his overall 63 overs bowled that year, 30.3 overs consisted of dot balls, meaning every second ball the right-arm specialist bowled, was a dot.

The 36-year-old played 16 matches for the Indians that year and picked up 28 wickets at an average of 13.39.

In the meanwhile, Malinga’s economy rate was an impressive 5.95, and he even registered a five-wicket haul in one match in IPL 2011.

2) Deepak Chahar

Team India’s promising youngster Deepak Chahar also features on this list after having bowled most dot balls in a single season in 2019. As part of an experienced Chennai Super Kings setup, Chahar set the stage alight with his consistent displays.

The 27-year-old bowled a mammoth 190 dot balls last season, meaning, of the 64.3 overs Chahar bowled last year, roughly half of them were dot balls.

The Agra born player played 17 matches last term, having amassed a tally of 22 wickets at an average of 21.09. His economy rate in IPL 2019 was 7.47 and Chahar further picked up a four-wicket haul once.

The right-arm pacer did his job brilliantly, although Chennai lost in the final to Mumbai.

1) Dale Steyn

There was a time when South African speedster Dale Steyn was the most fearsome pacer in world cricket. At his peak, Steyn would completely nullify the threat of opposition batsmen single-handedly.

In 2013, the 36-year-old was plied his trade for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Steyn created an all-time record by bowling 211 dot balls, which equates to 35.1 overs. With such a prolific rate, the right-arm pacer bowled 67.5 overs in total that year.

Steyn managed 19 scalps that year, in 17 matches with an average of 20.21.

Furthermore, his economy rate was of 5.66 during IPL 2013, although the Proteas paceman could not help his side win the IPL title.