Kagiso Rabada Sets New IPL Records in 2026 Season
Kagiso Rabada Makes History in IPL 2026
During the first qualifier of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) in Dharamshala on May 26, Kagiso Rabada achieved remarkable milestones by breaking two significant records. The South African fast bowler maintained his impressive form this season, claiming an early wicket for the Titans.
Rabada made his mark in the opening over by dismissing Venkatesh Iyer, who scored 19 runs off 7 balls. This wicket marked Rabada's 25th of the season and his 18th during the powerplay, setting a new benchmark.
Kagiso Rabada Surpasses Mohammed Shami's Record
Rabada eclipsed Mohammed Shami's previous record for the most wickets taken in the powerplay during a single IPL season. Shami had set this record while playing for the Titans in the 2023 season, where they reached the finals.
| Player | Wickets | Year |
| Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans) | 18 | 2026 |
| Mohammed Shami (Gujarat Titans) | 17 | 2023 |
| Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians) | 16 | 2020 |
| Mitchell Johnson (Mumbai Indians) | 16 | 2013 |
| Deepak Chahar (Chennai Super Kings) | 15 | 2019 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) | 15 | 2026 |
| Mohit Sharma (Chennai Super Kings) | 15 | 2013 |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is also in contention to break this record, currently holding 15 wickets with at least two matches remaining. Rabada will have further opportunities to extend his record.
Kagiso Rabada's Historic Achievement
This achievement marks the third time Rabada has taken 25 or more wickets in a single IPL season. He previously accomplished this feat with 25 and 30 wickets in the 2019 and 2020 seasons while playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC). He is the first player ever to achieve three seasons with 25 or more wickets, while Dwayne Bravo is the only other player with multiple seasons of this caliber.
| Player | Seasons With 25 Or More Wickets |
| Kagiso Rabada | 3 |
| Dwayne Bravo | 2 |
| Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Trent Boult, James Faulkner, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Morne Morkel, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Imran Tahir | 1 |
Rabada is also the first player to achieve 25 wickets in a season for different teams, having done so with DC in 2019 and 2020 and now with GT in 2026. In contrast, both of Bravo's seasons (2013 and 2015) were with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Kagiso Rabada's Impressive IPL Stats
In his IPL career, Rabada has amassed 144 wickets in just 99 matches. He has played for the Delhi Capitals (2017-2021) and Gujarat Titans (2025-present), as well as the Punjab Kings (PBKS) from 2022 to 2025. His six four-wicket hauls rank second among pacers in IPL history, trailing only Lasith Malinga. In this match, Rabada concluded his spell with figures of 2-54 over four overs, securing the purple cap with 26 wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar trails closely behind with 24 wickets.