In a tournament celebrated for its electrifying pace and high-octane finishes, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is often skewed in favor of the batters. Over the years, the IPL has witnessed some merciless assaults on bowlers, where runs flowed like rivers and resistance crumbled. These aren’t just poor performances, they’re record-setting spells for all the wrong reasons. This list brings to light the top five most expensive bowling figures in IPL history, each loaded with drama, frustration, and brutal hitting. Let’s analyze how these spells unfolded, the match situations that led to the chaos, and what went so terribly wrong for these bowlers on their forgettable days.
5. Basil Thampi : 0/70 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Bengaluru, IPL 2018)
In 2018, Basil Thampi was still regarded as one of India’s most promising fast bowling talents, having impressed with his raw pace and aggression. But during a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium Thampi was decimated by AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali in a carnage-filled display. Thampi started with a decent over, but RCB’s batters soon figured out his lack of variation.
His attempted yorkers became full tosses, and his short balls sat up nicely for the batters. Moeen took the lead with consecutive sixes, while ABD played outrageous strokes over extra cover and fine leg. The turning point was the 19th over where Thampi conceded 30 runs, a mix of boundaries and poor line control. His spell ended with figures of 0/70 in four overs, with no breakthroughs and minimal dot balls.
4. Mohit Sharma: 0/73 vs Delhi Capitals (Delhi, IPL 2024)
Mohit Sharma, known for his subtle pace variations and clever slower balls, was handed the ball in the 12th over of Delhi Capitals’ innings in a 2024 clash against Gujarat Titans. What unfolded next was a tactical miscalculation and poor execution under pressure.
Rishabh Pant had just begun to settle at the crease and targeted Mohit with brutal intent. The first over went for 20 runs, with Pant launching into full swing. But the Titans persisted with Mohit at the death, and the result was catastrophic. He was summoned for the 16th and 18th overs, both of which went for over 20 runs each. With the Titans short on bowling options, Mohit also bowled the 20th over, which was a complete disaster, featuring multiple sixes and a no-ball that was punished. Despite being a death-over specialist, he lacked pace and deception on this day, and his figures spiraled to 0/73 in 4 overs.
3. Will O’Rourke: 2/74 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Bengaluru, IPL 2025)
New Zealand‘s left-arm pacer Will O’Rourke endured a punishing night at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, conceding 74 runs in 4 overs, making it one of the most expensive spells in IPL history, albeit with two wickets to his name. Drafted in by Lucknow as a replacement for the injured Mayank Yadav, O’Rourke was entrusted with the new ball in a high-stakes encounter where LSG were defending a mammoth 227-run total.
But his introduction to Virat Kohli was a harsh one, the Indian great launched a blistering assault in the second over, smashing O’Rourke for five boundaries in a single over that went for 22 runs, setting the early tone for RCB’s chase. Attempting a comeback, O’Rourke returned in the eighth over and struck twice in two balls, removing Rajat Patidar and the dangerous Liam Livingstone, appearing to swing momentum briefly. However, his third over saw Jitesh Sharma turn aggressor, taking 17 runs off it with a four and a six that again tilted the pressure back on the bowler. But the real death blow came in the 18th over, when RCB needed 28 from 18 balls. O’Rourke was handed the ball in a crunch moment, but he crumbled under pressure as Jitesh decimated him with two sixes and two fours, a 23-run over that sealed the game and booked RCB’s berth in Qualifier 1.
2. Mohammed Shami: 0/75 vs Punjab Kings (Hyderabad, IPL 2025)
Veteran Indian speedster Mohammed Shami had a nightmare outing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, conceding a jaw-dropping 75 runs in 4 overs, the most expensive spell of his illustrious IPL career. Bowling for Sunrisers Hyderabad on a pitch that resembled a batting paradise, Shami found himself on the receiving end from the very first over, with Prabhsimran Singh tearing into him with three consecutive fours that left no room for early rhythm.
The carnage only escalated in his second over, where Priyansh Arya, a promising young talent, showed no mercy. Arya smashed two sixes off the first two balls, followed by a four and capped it off with another six, a 24-run over that visibly rattled the seasoned campaigner. With Sunrisers clawing back in the death overs and looking for a strong finish, Shami was handed the responsibility of bowling the final over, but what followed was a final flourish that turned a poor night into a forgettable one. Marcus Stoinis, in full power-hitting mode, pummeled four massive sixes on the leg side, exploiting Shami’s lengths and using the wind to his advantage. The over cost 24 runs, taking Shami’s final figures to 0/75, which now sits among the most expensive spells in IPL history.
1. Jofra Archer: 0/76 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Hyderabad, IPL 2025)
Jofra Archer, known globally for his lightning pace and laser-guided yorkers, experienced a harrowing evening in Hyderabad during IPL 2025 while playing for the Rajasthan Royals. Coming off a solid season, expectations were high from the England pacer, but this outing defied all logic and form. Archer opened the bowling against an explosive Sunrisers Hyderabad lineup that had Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen firing on all cylinders.
His first over went for 18 runs, setting the tone for what was to follow. Despite trying all variations, slower balls, back-of-the-hand deliveries, and wide yorkers, nothing worked. He failed to find rhythm or accuracy, with his lengths oscillating between full tosses and short-pitched deliveries ripe for hitting. In the final over of the innings, he was taken apart mercilessly, with four consecutive sixes pushing his economy rate over 19.00. By the end of his spell, Archer had conceded 76 runs in 4 overs, the second most ever in IPL history, without a single wicket to his name.
