Most Wickets in First Over in IPL: Trent Boult Takes Lead With Rohit Sharma Dismissal in RR vs MI Match

Rajasthan Royals (RR) pacer Trent Boult on Monday (April 22) surpassed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the player with most first-over wickets in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Boult achieved the feat during RR's 8-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, where he removed Rohit Sharma in the first over of the match.

Trent Boult leads the list for most wickets in first over in IPL

The 34-year-old New Zealand pacer cleaned up Rohit to claim his 26th wicket in the opening over of the innings to overtake Bhuvneshwar's tally of 25 first-over wickets in his IPL career.

Other than these two, former Indian pacer Praveen Kumar, Sandeep Sharma of Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings' Deepak Chahar and legendary Zaheer Khan are also part of this list. Here is a look at the top 15 bowlers with most first over wickets in IPL:

Most wickets in first over in IPL

Trent Boult - 26 wickets
Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 25 wickets
Praveen Kumar - 15 wickets
Deepak Chahar - 13 wickets
Sandeep Sharma - 13 wickets
Zaheer Khan - 12 wickets
Lasith Malinga - 11 wickets
Dale Steyn - 11 wickets
Umesh Yadav - 11 wickets
Mohammed Shami - 9 wickets
Tim Southee - 9 wickets
Irfan Pathan - 8 wickets
Mohammed Siraj - 7 wickets
Albie Morkel - 7 wickets
Ravichandran Ashwin - 7 wickets

Among the 26 wickets, Boult has dismissed an opposition batter in the very first ball of an IPL innings three times in his career. In this season, Boult has taken nine wickets in eight matches at an average of 23.22, with the best figures of 3/22.

In the ongoing season, the Kiwi has claimed three wickets in the first over of an innings. And his previous two first-over wickets in IPL 2024 also came against MI in the reverse fixture at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai earlier this month.

Even in that match, Boult removed Rohit and also dismissed Naman Dhir for first-ball ducks in the opening over of the match. Although Boult leads the list in IPL, the New Zealander is way behind the leader for most first-over wickets in T20 cricket.

That record is held by Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has claimed 46 wickets in the first over of an innings followed by India's Bhuvneshwar and compatriot Mohammad Amir. Here is a look at the bowlers with most first-over wickets in T20 cricket overall: