Updated · June 3, 2026 · FINAL STANDINGS · SEASON COMPLETE
IPL 2026 Purple Cap — Final Standings, Winner & Top 10 Wicket-Takers
Kagiso Rabada has won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap. The Gujarat Titans pacer finished the season with 29 wickets in 17 matches at an economy of 9.68 — his second IPL Purple Cap after his 30-wicket campaign for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020. Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB) entered the Final tied on 28 wickets each. Rabada dismissed Devdutt Padikkal in the 5th over of RCB’s chase to move ahead — and despite Bhuvneshwar taking 2/29 in the same match (removing Sai Sudharsan and Jason Holder), it wasn’t enough. Bhuvneshwar finished second on 28 wickets at the best economy among the top 5 (7.95). Jofra Archer (RR) ended third on 25 wickets.
🟣 IPL 2026 Purple Cap — Final Top 10 Wicket-Takers
Final standings after the IPL 2026 Final on 31 May 2026. All numbers locked.
| Rank | Player | Team | M | Wickets | Economy | Best | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟣 1 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 17 | 29 | 9.68 | 3/25 | 2nd Purple Cap · Dismissed Padikkal in Final to clinch it |
| 2 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | 16 | 28 | 7.95 | 4/18 | Best economy in top 5 · Took 2/29 in Final · IPL Champion |
| 3 | Jofra Archer | RR | 16 | 25 | 7.62 | 3/19 | Season ended in Q2 elimination |
| 4 | Anshul Kamboj | CSK | 14 | 21 | 8.00 | 4/22 | Breakout Indian pacer · Season over (CSK eliminated) |
| 5 | Jacob Duffy | RCB | 16 | 20 | 9.10 | 3/39 | IPL Champion · Played the Final |
| 6 | Eshan Malinga | SRH | 15 | 18 | 8.90 | 3/26 | Season ended in Eliminator |
| 7 | Rasikh Salam Dar | RCB | 14 | 17 | 8.30 | 3/27 | IPL Champion · 3/27 in Final, top wicket-taker on the night |
| 8 | Rashid Khan | GT | 17 | 16 | 9.20 | 4/30 | 2/25 in Final (Patidar, Krunal) · IPL Runner-up |
| 8 | Pat Cummins | SRH | 14 | 16 | 8.55 | 3/28 | Season ended in Eliminator |
| 10 | Praful Hinge | SRH | 15 | 16 | 9.20 | 3/54 | Season ended in Eliminator |
What Happened in the Final — Purple Cap Decided on One Wicket
For most of IPL 2026, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada moved in lockstep — same match, same wicket count, economy rate the only meaningful separator. Bhuvneshwar’s 28 wickets at an economy of 7.95 was the kind of season a 36-year-old shouldn’t physically be capable of producing; it was the best campaign of his post-2017 career and put him within one delivery of becoming the first three-time Purple Cap winner in IPL history. He took 2/29 in the Final — Sudharsan and Holder, both crucial — and for a few overs in the GT innings, he was the leader. Then Rabada took Padikkal. Then the chase ended quickly. Bhuvi never got another over.
What stands out about Rabada is that this is now the second IPL Final in which he’s swung a Purple Cap race in his favour. In 2020 against MI he held off Bumrah; in 2026 against Bhuvneshwar, he did it again. That’s not coincidence — it’s a temperament. He’s 31, has now won two Purple Caps, and is the most successful overseas pacer in IPL history in single-season wicket-taking. Bhuvneshwar at 36 finishes runner-up with one of the great pace-bowling seasons no one will remember properly because of a single wicket on a single night. He’d still trade it for the trophy — and he got that instead.
How the Race Ended — Rabada vs Bhuvneshwar in Numbers
Kagiso Rabada — 29 wickets (Purple Cap)
- 17 matches, 64 overs bowled, 620 runs conceded
- Economy 9.68 — high but acceptable for a death specialist
- Average 21.59, strike rate 13.24
- Best figures: 3/25
- 5 three-wicket hauls — most by any bowler in IPL 2026 — no fifers
- 2nd Purple Cap (first 2020 DC, 30 wkts)
- Joins exclusive 4-bowler list of multiple Purple Cap winners
Bhuvneshwar Kumar — 28 wickets (2nd)
- 16 matches, 60 overs bowled, 477 runs conceded
- Economy 7.95 — best in the top 5 by a wide margin
- Average 17.03 (the lowest in the top 5)
- Best figures: 4/18
- 2/29 in the Final (Sudharsan, Holder)
- Missed becoming first 3-time Purple Cap winner by 1 wicket
- Won the IPL 2026 trophy with RCB — back-to-back champion
Awards Around the Purple Cap — IPL 2026 Bowling Honours
| Award / Stat | Winner | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Cap (most wickets) | Kagiso Rabada (GT) | 29 wickets, 17 matches |
| Best bowling figures of the season | Mohsin Khan (LSG) | 5/23 — only fifer of IPL 2026 |
| Best economy (top 5 wicket-takers) | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB) | 7.95 economy |
| Most three-wicket hauls | Kagiso Rabada (GT) | 5 three-fers |
| Most powerplay wickets | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB) | Top of the powerplay charts (career record holder too) |
| Breakout bowler | Anshul Kamboj (CSK) | 21 wickets in 14 matches |
What Is the Purple Cap and How Does It Work?
The Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler with the most wickets across an IPL season. It’s worn by the current leader during matches, passed match-by-match as the standings shift, and given permanently at the season’s end to the leading wicket-taker.
Purple Cap Historical Benchmarks
The Purple Cap is typically won with 22–32 wickets over a full season. Here’s the all-time top winning tallies:
| Season | Winner | Team | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 32 |
| 2020 | Kagiso Rabada | DC | 30 |
| 2026 | Kagiso Rabada | GT | 29 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | GT | 28 |
| 2015 | Dwayne Bravo | CSK | 26 |
| 2017 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 26 |
| 2025 | Prasidh Krishna | GT | 25 |
| 2022 | Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 27 |
| 2021 | Harshal Patel | RCB | 32 |
| 2024 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 24 |
| 2016 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH | 23 |
Rabada’s 29 in IPL 2026 is the 3rd-highest single-season Purple Cap total in IPL history. For the full IPL all-time wicket-taking history, see Most Wickets in IPL History.
The 32 Wall — Why Bravo’s 2013 Record Endures
Dwayne Bravo’s 32 wickets in IPL 2013 and Harshal Patel’s matching 32 in IPL 2021 remain the gold standard. No bowler has crossed those tallies. Rabada’s 29 in 2026 was the closest anyone has come since.
Most Purple Caps Won — All-Time Leaders
| Player | Purple Caps | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Dwayne Bravo | 2 | 2013, 2015 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 | 2016, 2017 |
| Harshal Patel | 2 | 2021, 2024 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 2 | 2020, 2026 |
Rabada becomes the fourth bowler to win the Purple Cap more than once. No bowler has yet won three Purple Caps — Bhuvneshwar came within a single wicket of becoming the first three-time winner in 2026.
How the Purple Cap Race Connects to the Title
Unlike the Orange Cap, the Purple Cap winner has been on the title-winning team several times in IPL history — Bravo with CSK in 2013, Harshal with RCB in 2021, Shami with GT in 2023 (Finalists). In 2026, however, the Purple Cap (Rabada) and the title (RCB) ended up with opposite teams. Bowling form does still correlate strongly with team success — see how RCB’s title-defending run worked alongside Bhuvneshwar’s runner-up tally and Rasikh Salam Dar’s breakout campaign.
For the live IPL 2026 team standings, see the IPL 2026 Points Table. To see how a bowler’s wickets translate to NRR swings, use the IPL NRR Calculator.
Why Bowlers Win Tournaments — Even When Batting Gets the Headlines
Batting gets the attention in T20 cricket. Bowling wins tournaments. Look at recent IPL champions — every single one had at least one Purple Cap top-10 bowler in their final XI. In 2026, RCB had Bhuvneshwar Kumar (28), Jacob Duffy (20), and Rasikh Salam Dar (17) — three top-10 wicket-takers in the title-winning XI. Bhuvneshwar’s career masterclass at 36, combined with Rasikh’s 3/27 in the Final, was the bowling foundation that beat GT.
MS Dhoni spent a decade teaching CSK bowlers how to think at Chepauk — which lengths to hit, how to use the surface, when to change pace. Anshul Kamboj’s breakout 21-wicket season in IPL 2026 is, in a sense, a product of that culture. See MS Dhoni’s complete IPL career stats to understand how much he shaped the way CSK approach bowling.
Frequently Asked Questions — IPL 2026 Purple Cap
Who won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap?
Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap with 29 wickets in 17 matches at an economy of 9.68. This is his second Purple Cap after his first with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 (30 wickets). He clinched it by dismissing Devdutt Padikkal in the 5th over of RCB’s chase in the Final on 31 May 2026. He joins Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel as the only multiple Purple Cap winners in IPL history.
Who finished second in the IPL 2026 Purple Cap?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished second in the IPL 2026 Purple Cap with 28 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 7.95 — the best economy among the top 5 wicket-takers. He took 2/29 in the Final (dismissing Sai Sudharsan and Jason Holder) but Rabada took the decisive wicket to finish 1 ahead. Bhuvneshwar missed becoming the first three-time Purple Cap winner in IPL history by a single wicket.
How many wickets did Kagiso Rabada take in IPL 2026?
Kagiso Rabada took 29 wickets in 17 matches in IPL 2026 at an average of 21.59 and economy of 9.68. His best figures were 3/25 — he had five three-wicket hauls but no five-wicket haul. He clinched the Purple Cap by dismissing Devdutt Padikkal early in the Final to move ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar on 28.
What were the best bowling figures in IPL 2026?
Mohsin Khan’s 5/23 against Kolkata Knight Riders for Lucknow Super Giants remained the best bowling figures in IPL 2026 — the only five-wicket haul of the season. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 4/18 and Anshul Kamboj’s 4/22 were the next-best returns. Rabada’s best figures of the tournament were 3/25.
Did Bhuvneshwar Kumar miss out on a historic third Purple Cap?
Yes — Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed becoming the first three-time Purple Cap winner in IPL history by a single wicket. He finished IPL 2026 on 28 wickets — one behind Rabada’s 29. Bhuvneshwar previously won the Purple Cap in 2016 and 2017 with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He did win the IPL 2026 trophy with RCB as a back-to-back champion.
How many wickets does it usually take to win the Purple Cap?
Historically, the IPL Purple Cap is won with 22 to 32 wickets in a season. The all-time record is Dwayne Bravo’s 32 wickets for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2013, matched by Harshal Patel in IPL 2021. Rabada’s 29 in IPL 2026 is the third-highest single-season Purple Cap tally and the closest anyone has come to the 32-wicket mark since 2021.
Who has won the most Purple Caps in IPL history?
Four bowlers have won the Purple Cap twice — Dwayne Bravo (2013, 2015), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2016, 2017), Harshal Patel (2021, 2024), and now Kagiso Rabada (2020, 2026). No bowler has yet won the Purple Cap three times — Bhuvneshwar came within one wicket in 2026.
Did the Purple Cap winner win the IPL 2026 trophy?
No — Rabada won the Purple Cap but Gujarat Titans lost the IPL 2026 Final by 5 wickets to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who finished second in the Purple Cap race, won the IPL 2026 trophy with RCB as a back-to-back champion.
The Bottom Line — IPL 2026 Purple Cap
Kagiso Rabada is the IPL 2026 Purple Cap winner with 29 wickets in 17 matches — his second Purple Cap after his 30-wicket campaign with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020. He becomes the fourth bowler in IPL history to win the cap multiple times, joining Dwayne Bravo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished a single wicket short on 28 — missing the chance to become the first three-time winner in IPL history. Jofra Archer ended third on 25 wickets.
The Purple Cap race was decided on one wicket in one match — Rabada dismissing Devdutt Padikkal in the 5th over of RCB’s chase moved him from 28 to 29 and clinched it. Bhuvneshwar took 2/29 in the same Final but had bowled out his quota before Rabada took the decisive wicket. The man who won the Purple Cap finished as the runner-up; the man who finished second in the Purple Cap won the IPL trophy. That is the small, beautiful symmetry of IPL 2026’s bowling story. Bookmark this page for IPL 2027 — we’ll start tracking from the season opener.