When the T20 cricket and the IPL initiated, not many fans expected the spinners to survive this format, where the batsmen only aim to demolish the opposition bowling attacks. In this form of the game, the batters tend to take more risk than the Tests or the ODI matches, which makes it much difficult for the spinners.
However, the spin bowlers have evolved over the last 10-15 years. The demand of leg-spinners is now way more than the off-spinners. In almost every T20 team, there would be a leg-spin bowler, who would necessarily be the team’s primary wicket-taker.
The fact that CSK’s Imran Tahir won the Purple Cap award in IPL 2019 at the age of 40 highlights how important spin bowling has become in T20s. It is quite rare to see a spinner overstepping or bowling a beamer, but here are the five spin bowlers who have bowled the most no balls in IPL history.
(Stats Credit: Bigbashboard.com)
5. Yogesh Nagar – 4 No Balls
A surprising name at the fifth position on this list is the Indian all-rounder Yogesh Nagar. As mentioned ahead, it is rare to see a spin bowler bowling an illegal delivery in the IPL.
While a few spinners have bowled four no balls in their IPL careers, Nagar had done so in just eight innings. For the record, he picked up four wickets in the IPL.
4. Murali Kartik – 5 No Balls
Former Kings XI Punjab spinner Murali Kartik played for multiple franchises in his IPL career. The retired cricketer is currently working as a commentator and cricket expert in the league.
During his active days as a cricketer, Kartik played for the Pune Warriors, Punjab, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the Kolkata Knight Riders in his career. He picked up 31 wickets in 55 innings, besides bowling five no-balls.
3. Anil Kumble – 5 No Balls
Another veteran Indian spin bowler to feature on this list is the former Royal Challengers Bangalore captain, Anil Kumble. The leg-spin bowler had captained the Indian team in the Test format as well.
Kumble played three IPL seasons for the Bangalore-based franchise. Under his captaincy, the team qualified for the final in 2009 and finished at the third position in 2010. Anil represented RCB in 42 matches, scalping 45 wickets at an economy rate of 6.58. He bowled five no-balls in IPL, just like Murali Kartik.
2. Yuzvendra Chahal – 8 No Balls
The leading spin bowler of the current Royal Challengers Bangalore team, Yuzvendra Chahal has bowled eight no-balls in his IPL career. Chahal has been the most successful bowler for Bangalore over the last six years.
In 93 IPL innings, the Haryana native has scalped 115 wickets. However, he has also bowled a no-ball eight times in the league.
1. Amit Mishra – 21 No Balls
While none of the other spinners have bowled even 10 no balls in the IPL, veteran Indian leggie Amit Mishra has bowled a whopping 21 no-balls in his IPL career.
Mishra has played for Delhi, Deccan Chargers, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. The Indian leg-spinner has picked up 160 wickets in 150 IPL matches and handed over 21 free-hits to the opposition.
