Most Wickets in IPL 2026: Purple Cap List - Top 10 Bowlers, Team-wise Top 3 on May 26 as RCB play GT in Qualifier 1

The 19th season of the Indian Premier League continues to deliver breathtaking cricket, keeping the race for the prestigious Purple Cap incredibly tight. Awarded to the tournament's highest wicket-taker, the leaderboard is currently being dictated by veteran pace bowlers who have found incredible rhythm throughout the campaign.

With the group stage concluding and the playoffs kicking off, the bowling charts have seen dramatic shifts. Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) iconic pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Gujarat Titans' (GT) Kagiso Rabada are currently tied at the absolute summit with 24 wickets each. However, Bhuvneshwar retains the Purple Cap going into the playoff fixtures due to his superior economy rate. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer and Chennai Super Kings' Anshul Kamboj have surged up the ranks, trailing closely behind with 21 wickets apiece.

Here is the comprehensive breakdown of the IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings, team-wise top performers, and a historical timeline of past winners updated as of May 26, 2026.

Top 10 Wicket-Takers in IPL 2026: Purple Cap Leaderboard on May 26

The top 10 list showcases an elite mix of Indian speedsters, international franchise veterans, and mystery spinners, highlighting exceptional bowling talent despite punishing batting conditions.

Team-wise Top 3 Wicket-Takers in IPL 2026

Every franchise relies heavily on their core bowling group to navigate the gruelling league stage. Here is a look at the leading wicket-takers for all 10 IPL franchises based on current season statistics:

Timeline of IPL Purple Cap Holders (2008 - Present)

The Purple Cap has been adorned by some of the greatest bowlers in T20 history. Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel stand out as the only bowlers to win the accolade multiple times.

• 2008: Sohail Tanvir (RR) - 22 Wickets
• 2009: RP Singh (DC) - 23 Wickets
• 2010: Pragyan Ojha (DC) - 21 Wickets
• 2011: Lasith Malinga (MI) - 28 Wickets
• 2012: Morne Morkel (DD) - 25 Wickets
• 2013: Dwayne Bravo (CSK) - 32 Wickets
• 2014: Mohit Sharma (CSK) - 23 Wickets
• 2015: Dwayne Bravo (CSK) - 26 Wickets
• 2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) - 23 Wickets
• 2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) - 26 Wickets
• 2018: Andrew Tye (PBKS) - 24 Wickets
• 2019: Imran Tahir (CSK) - 26 Wickets
• 2020: Kagiso Rabada (DC) - 30 Wickets
• 2021: Harshal Patel (RCB) - 32 Wickets
• 2022: Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) - 27 Wickets
• 2023: Mohammed Shami (GT) - 28 Wickets
• 2024: Harshal Patel (PBKS) - 24 Wickets
• 2025: Prasidh Krishna (GT) - 25 Wickets
• 2026 (Current Leader): Kagiso Rabada (GT) - 26 Wickets*