Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Harshal Patel has equalled Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) all-rounder Dwayne Bravo’s eight-year-old record of most wickets in a season. Patel took two wickets in the eliminator against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to achieve the rare feat.
Patel has been instrumental in the season with a five-wicket haul and four-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians. The 30-yaer-old’s four-fer against the defending champions also included season’s only hat-trick.
The RCB pacer was the most economical bowler in the bowling lineup after leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. He got the wickets of KKR openers Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer. The purple cap-holder finished his spell with two wickets for 19 runs. He missed the all-time IPL record by a whisker as Devdutt Padikkal dropped Sunil Narine’s catch in the 17th over of the run chase.
Earlier, in the first innings, Patel also scored eight runs from six deliveries including a boundary helping RCB post 138/7 on the board.
Caribbean all-rounder Bravo took 33 wickets for CSK in 2013. He is followed by Delhi Capitals’ (DC) Kagiso Rabada (30 wickets) in 2020, Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) James Faulkner (28) in 2013 and Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Lasith Malinga in 2011.
Despite RCB's exit from the tournament, Patel is likely to finish as the top wicket-taker of the tournament and retain his purple cap as the next-in-line Avesh Khan has 23 wickets from 15 games.
