A no ball in the IPL is not just a free hit. It can shift momentum in seconds.
One extra delivery. One free swing. And suddenly, a tight over turns costly.
In a format where three or four runs can decide a match, no balls are a serious problem.
Some of the best bowlers in IPL history have still racked up an alarming number of them.
Bowlers With the Most No Balls in IPL History
Here are the five with the most.
What Makes a No Ball So Damaging in T20 Cricket?
In Test cricket, a no ball is annoying. In T20, it can be a match-changer.
The batting side gets a free hit on the very next delivery.
That means the batter can swing freely with zero risk of dismissal (except run-outs). Against a quality hitter, that’s a gift.
No balls are usually caused by the bowler overstepping the crease. Sometimes it’s poor technique.
Sometimes it’s the result of bowling full-throttle under pressure.
Whatever the reason, the runs cost and hand control back to the batting side.
Top 5 Bowlers With Most No Balls in IPL History
| Rank | Player | No Balls in IPL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah | 39 |
| 2 | Umesh Yadav | 24 |
| 3 | S. Sreesanth | 23 |
| 4 | Ishant Sharma | 23 |
| 5 | Amit Mishra | 21 |
5. Amit Mishra (21 No Balls)
Amit Mishra is the only spinner on this list, which makes his 21 no balls unusual.
Leg-spinners rarely overstep. The mechanics of a spinning action just don’t put the same pressure on the crease as a fast bowler charging in at full pace.
But Mishra played a long IPL career across Deccan Chargers, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2008 to 2024.
He took 174 wickets in 162 matches across 561.5 overs. That’s enough volume for no balls to creep in.
Known for his three IPL hat-tricks (still a record), Mishra remains one of the most successful spinners the league has seen.
4. Ishant Sharma (23 No Balls)
Ishant Sharma is known for having issues with his front-foot landing during his run-up.
It has shown up at the international level too.
The tall pacer has played 117 IPL matches since 2008 and taken 96 wickets at an economy of 8.37.
In 403.1 overs of bowling, he picked up 23 no balls.
He is still active in IPL 2026 with the Gujarat Titans.
3. S. Sreesanth (23 No Balls)
Sreesanth’s no balls carry more baggage than most.
In 2013, he was accused of deliberately bowling no balls during his time with the Rajasthan Royals.
Whether intentional or not, his record is striking: 23 no balls in just 44 matches. That’s the highest no-ball rate on this list by far.
He bowled 880 deliveries across stints with Punjab Kings, Kochi Tuskers, and Rajasthan Royals between 2007 and 2013.
For context, other players on this list needed 100-plus games to reach similar numbers.
2. Umesh Yadav (24 No Balls)
Umesh Yadav’s pace was always his biggest weapon, and occasionally his biggest problem.
The right-arm quick was part of KKR’s 2014 IPL title win, taking 11 wickets that season.
Across his career from 2010 to 2024, he played 148 matches for four different franchises, taking 144 wickets.
He bowled 3,050 deliveries in the IPL. Of those, 24 were no balls.
His natural aggression and high pace made it harder to stay consistently behind the crease.
1. Jasprit Bumrah (39 No Balls)
Jasprit Bumrah holds the record for most no balls in IPL history, with 39.
That number might surprise people. Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the most accurate bowlers in world cricket.
His yorkers, slower balls, and unusual action have made him nearly unplayable in the death overs.
But accuracy and no balls are not always linked. Bumrah’s low-arm action puts extra stress on his front foot, which can cause him to overstep.
Add the pressure of bowling in tight finishes, and even elite bowlers overstep.
He has played 155 IPL matches, taken 186 wickets, and helped the Mumbai Indians win five titles.
His no-ball count is the unwanted side effect of bowling at full intensity, match after match, across an 18-year-long franchise run.
No other bowler on this list has crossed 30. Bumrah is the only one past that mark.
Which Bowler Has Never Bowled a No Ball in IPL?
There is no confirmed public record of a bowler who has never bowled a single no ball in IPL history across an extended career.
Most bowlers who have played 50-plus matches will have at least one on their record.
If you’re looking for the bowler with the fewest no balls relative to overs bowled, that stat is not publicly tracked in a single table.
Spinners generally have the lowest rates, which is why only Amit Mishra appears on this list.
FAQs
- Q: Which bowler has bowled the most no balls in IPL history?
Jasprit Bumrah, with 39 no balls across 155 IPL matches.
- Q: Which Indian bowler has the most no balls in IPL?
Jasprit Bumrah is the Indian bowler with the most no balls in IPL history.
- Q: Are no balls more common for fast bowlers than spinners?
Yes. Fast bowlers overstep more often because they generate pace by driving hard off the front foot. Spinners rarely overstep, which is why Amit Mishra is the only spinner in the top five.
- Q: What happens after a no ball in T20 cricket?
The batting side gets a free hit on the next delivery. The batter cannot be dismissed off a free hit except by a run-out.
- Q: Which bowler has the highest no-ball rate relative to matches played?
S. Sreesanth had 23 no balls in just 44 matches, giving him the highest rate on this list. Other bowlers needed 100-plus games to reach similar numbers.
- Q: What is the most no balls bowled in a single over in IPL?
There is no widely verified single-over record in the public domain. Individual over data is not tracked as a top-level stat by IPL or ESPNcricinfo.
Conclusion:
No balls in IPL cricket are more than a minor technical error.
They hand over a free hit, gift an extra delivery, and can swing a tight chase.
What this list shows is that even the very best bowlers are not immune.
Bumrah’s 39 no balls don’t define his legacy, but they do tell you something about the cost of bowling at maximum effort in a format that punishes every mistake.
Also Check:
- Bowlers with Most Wickets in Abu Dhabi T10 League History
- Most Wickets for New Zealand in T20Is
- Best Death Bowlers In IPL History
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