Worst Bowling Figures In IPL 2026: Top 5 Most Expensive Spells Revealed

Xavier Bartlett (1/69 in Four Overs)

Xavier Bartlett entered the Arun Jaitley Stadium on 25 April 2026 with the confidence of a fast bowler, confident that he could control the T20 game. By the end of the night, that confidence seemed to have been shattered. Delhi Capitals didn’t just attack him. They hunted him down like batsmen.

KL Rahul played one of the best IPL innings ever, while Nitish Rana turned the middle overs into pure chaos. Bartlett gave away 69 runs in four overs and became the bowler with the most expensive spell in Punjab Kings history.

Each over from Bartlett increased the noise inside the stadium. Rahul looked calm, almost brutal, while hitting boundaries into empty spaces as if he were playing a video game on easy mode. Nitish Rana brought the aggression from the other end and together they built a partnership that completely crushed Punjab Kings.

Bartlett managed to dismiss Nitish Rana for 91, but by then the damage was done. Delhi Capitals crossed the 260-run mark for the first time in IPL history and Bartlett’s figures became a painful part of the scoreboard forever.

Arshdeep Singh (1/68 in Four Overs)

Arshdeep Singh has built a reputation as a fearless death bowler. But on 28 April 2026 at Mullanpur, Rajasthan Royals made him look completely helpless.

Punjab Kings had posted a mammoth total of 222. Normally, that should have been enough. Instead, Rajasthan Royals chased it down like men in a hurry. Arshdeep conceded 68 runs in his four overs, the worst bowling figures of his IPL career.

The nightmare began when Vaibhav Suryavanshi attacked him fearlessly like a teenager. Then Yashasvi Jaiswal joined the party. By the time Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dube came in, Punjab’s bowling attack looked mentally exhausted. Rajasthan’s batsmen played without fear as they sensed panic in the fielding team.

Arshdeep took one wicket, but that didn’t change anything. Rajasthan chased down the target with four balls to spare and handed Punjab Kings their first defeat of the season. Fans reacted furiously on social media as expectations are always high from Arshdeep. That night, the pressure swallowed him whole.

Sakib Hussain (1/62 in Four Overs)

Shakib Hussain’s match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on April 25, 2026 felt like a young bowler being thrown straight into a storm with no shelter.

Rajasthan Royals attacked from the very first over as Jaipur has become one of those grounds where the pace spreads quickly. One boundary turns into three. One expensive over suddenly changes the entire mood of the game. Shakib gave away 62 runs in four overs and spent most of the evening searching for answers that never came.

The dangerous thing about Rajasthan’s batting lineup is that they never let the bowlers breathe. Even when a batsman defends two balls, the next ball disappears into the crowd. Shakib managed to take one wicket, but the flow of runs never stopped for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

For a young bowler, such nights become harsh lessons. IPL cricket does not offer sympathy. The cameras stay close to your face. The crowd keeps screaming. The batsmen keep charging. And somewhere in that pressure, the bowler either gets stronger or breaks down.

Marco Jansen (0/61 in Four Overs)

Marco Janssen is the kind of fast bowler who usually scares batsmen with his bounce and awkward angles. Tall frame, long reach. Natural aggression. But on May 6, 2026, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sunrisers Hyderabad looked ordinary.

Punjab Kings needed their bowlers to stand up in Hyderabad. Instead, Janssen conceded 61 runs in four wicketless overs as the Sunrisers batsmen dominated the innings with complete authority.

As the overs ticked by, the frustration on his face was clear. Every change in pace seemed readable. Every change seemed expected. Hyderabad batsmen remained fearless as the scoreboard kept moving at an incredible pace.

The IPL can be brutal for foreign fast bowlers as Indian conditions punish even the smallest mistakes. Once the batting team gets going, there is nowhere to hide. Janssen kept trying different schemes, but the Hyderabad hitters never let him mentally settle into the contest.

By the end of the spell, the scoreboard showed 61 runs had been paid. But the real damage was mental. T20 cricket can sometimes make even international stars powerless.

Praful Hinge (1/60 in Four Overs)

Praful Hinje experienced the harshest reality of IPL cricket against Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on 18 April 2026.

CSK’s batting line-up did not attack with madness. They attacked with intelligence. That is what made the spell all the more painful. Praful gave away 60 runs in four overs while Chennai controlled the innings with mature aggression.

He took one wicket, but Chennai never lost control of the chase. The senior batsmen calmly rotated the strike, waited for the loose ball and punished every opportunity without emotion. That is the scary thing about Chennai Super Kings. They do not always look aggressive, but they calmly destroy the bowling attack.

Praful kept running back to his mark with visible frustration. Young bowlers dream of IPL success, packed stadiums and television fame. But no one talks enough about the brutal side of the tournament. One bad night makes headlines. One costly spell becomes social media content for weeks.

For Praful Hinj, this match became one of those unforgettable IPL lessons that stays in the cricketer’s mind for a long time.

Conclusion

Behind every expensive spell in the IPL, there is a pain. Fans remember the sixes, but bowlers remember the silence after the match is over.

Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Saqib Hussain, Marco Jensen and Praful Hinz have all experienced how unforgiving T20 cricket can be when the batsmen look weak and the momentum is completely gone.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the most expensive spell in IPL 2026?

Xavier Bartlett of PBKS gave away 69 runs to DC.

Q2. How many runs did Arshdeep Singh give away?

Arshdeep Singh of PBKS gave away 68 runs against RR.

Q3. Why was Arshdeep Singh’s spell against Rajasthan Royals so painful?

Because even his best laid plans disappeared once the panic started in the game.

Q4. How many runs did Marco Jensen give away?

Marco Jensen of PBKS gave away 61 runs against SRH.

Q5. What made Marco Jensen’s spell against Sunrisers Hyderabad difficult?

Every variation seemed predictable, and the batsmen punished him fearlessly.