Since the commencement of IPL in 2008, one dream every bowler sees apart from playing for the national team is winning the Purple Cap. Purple Cap is the ultimate deciding factor of how well the bowler has performed throughout the season, and justifies his purchase.
The Purple Cap is awarded to the highest wicket-taking bowler in the tournament, including the league stage and playoffs. The Purple Cap keeps getting tossed around the country, changing heads as the Purple Cap wearer is given the cap during the match while he is fielding if they lead the wicket-taking charts. The final winner is the player who ends the tournament with the highest wickets at the commencement of the IPL.
Gujarat Titans fast bowler Kagiso Rabada won the IPL 2026 Purple Cap after finishing as the tournament's highest wicket-taker. Rabada claimed 29 wickets in 17 matches and played a key role in GT's journey to the final. This is the second Purple Cap of his IPL career. Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished second with 27 wickets, while Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer took third place with 25 wickets.
IPL 2026 Purple Cap List
| Player | Team | Matches | Overs | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | 4W | 5W |
| Kagiso Rabada | GT | 17 | 64.4 | 29 | 3/25 | 21.58 | 9.68 | 13.37 | 0 | 0 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | 16 | 63 | 28 | 4/23 | 17.89 | 7.95 | 13.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Jofra Archer | RR | 16 | 60 | 25 | 3/17 | 22.36 | 9.31 | 14.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | GT | 17 | 56.1 | 21 | 4/33 | 24.47 | 9.15 | 16.04 | 1 | 0 |
| Anshul Kamboj | CSK | 14 | 50.2 | 21 | 3/22 | 25.23 | 10.52 | 14.38 | 0 | 0 |
| Eshan Malinga | SRH | 15 | 54.2 | 20 | 4/32 | 25.35 | 9.33 | 16.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Mohammed Siraj | GT | 17 | 62 | 19 | 3/26 | 29.57 | 9.06 | 19.57 | 0 | 0 |
| Rasikh Salam | RCB | 12 | 42.5 | 19 | 4/24 | 21.31 | 9.45 | 13.52 | 1 | 0 |
| Kartik Tyagi | KKR | 14 | 51 | 18 | 3/22 | 27.66 | 9.76 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Jason Holder | GT | 11 | 38.2 | 17 | 4/24 | 17.05 | 7.56 | 13.52 | 1 | 0 |
