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100 UP! RABADA SMASHES LONG-STANDING IPL RECORD

14 Apr 20231 min

MI Cape Town superstar Kagiso Rabada inked his name into the Indian Premier League record books on Thursday evening by becoming the fastest bowler to 100 IPL wickets.

Playing in his first IPL game for Punjab Kings in the 2023 season, Rabada claimed Gujarat Titans’ batter Wriddhiman Saha’s scalp to move past Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga’s long-time record. Rabada required just 64 matches to reach the mark. Malinga, in contrast, needed 70 games to bring up the milestone. Incidentally, the South African fast bowler also required the least number of balls – 1438 – ahead of Malinga’s (1622), Dwayne Bravo (1619 ) and Harshal Patel (1647). Rabada’s IPL record is indeed phenomenal.

He started his career at the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in 2017 playing just six matches and claiming six wickets. He skipped IPL 2018, but returned in 2019 where he made a massive impact for Delhi. In 12 matches, Rabada claimed 25 wickets at an average of just 14.72 and economy rate of 7.82 before leaving India to join the Proteas for the 2019 ICC World Cup in the United Kingdom.

He was even more prolific in 2020 where the paceman snared 30 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 18.26 and economy of 8.34. This haul, along with the fearsome combination formed with Pretoria Capitals fast bowler Anrich Nortje, spearheaded Delhi’s charge to the final. Rabada’s final season at Delhi in 2021 saw him bag 15 wickets at an average of 30.40 and economy of 8.14.

The 27-year-old was then ready for his next challenge and was put up in the 2022 IPL auction where Punjab Kings broke the bank with a sensational deal worth more than R18 million to lure the fast bowler to Mohali. Rabada was reinvigorated and was back to his best, claiming 23 wickets in 13 matches at 17.65, to finish as the leading fast bowler in the tournament once again.

This left Rabada stranded on 99 IPL wickets, and he had to wait a couple of weeks before reaching the milestone this season as he initially arrived late from South Africa due to international commitments and then nursed a slight injury before returning to full fitness.

Five bowlers fastest to 100 IPL wickets (matches)