Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Wahab Riaz lead the list of PSL’s greatest bowlers of all time.
The Pakistan Super League is one of T20 cricket’s most seamer-friendly tournaments, where fast bowlers regularly win matches on their own.
Hasan Ali tops the all-time wicket charts with 125 wickets, but Shaheen’s bowling average of 20.31 makes a compelling counter-argument.
This article ranks the top 10 PSL bowlers using verified career data and explains exactly why each one earned their place.
Top 10 PSL Best Bowlers: Quick Comparison
Here are the top 10 PSL best bowlers of all time, ranked by career wickets, sourced from ESPNcricinfo’s PSL bowling records (updated to 2025).
| Player | Span | Mat | Inns | Balls | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | BBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hasan Ali | 2016–2025 | 92 | 91 | 2083 | 347.1 | 2 | 2828 | 125 | 4/15 |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 2018–2025 | 84 | 83 | 1864 | 310.4 | 5 | 2478 | 122 | 5/4 |
| Wahab Riaz | 2016–2023 | 88 | 87 | 1973 | 328.5 | 3 | 2563 | 113 | 4/17 |
| Shadab Khan | 2017–2025 | 94 | 92 | 1980 | 330.0 | 1 | 2542 | 105 | 5/28 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 2018–2025 | 84 | 82 | 1572 | 262.0 | 1 | 2293 | 95 | 6/19 |
| Mohammad Amir | 2016–2025 | 84 | 83 | 1839 | 306.3 | 6 | 2329 | 86 | 4/25 |
| Haris Rauf | 2019–2025 | 70 | 69 | 1540 | 256.4 | 0 | 2387 | 83 | 4/23 |
| Imad Wasim | 2016–2025 | 101 | 97 | 1923 | 320.3 | 2 | 2267 | 77 | 5/23 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 2016–2025 | 88 | 87 | 1672 | 278.4 | 1 | 2125 | 74 | 4/13 |
| Usama Mir | 2016–2025 | 51 | 51 | 1077 | 179.3 | 0 | 1501 | 63 | 6/40 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo PSL Most Wickets Records (updated to 2025)
Three seamers with sub-17 strike rates, two left-arm orthodox spinners, and a leg-spin pair round out a list where every stat tells a real story.
The article now covers each of PSL’s top 10 best bowlers in greater detail.
1. Hasan Ali – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 22.62 |
| Economy Rate | 8.14 |
| Strike Rate | 16.66 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 5 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
Hasan Ali is PSL’s all-time leading wicket-taker with 125 wickets in 92 matches. His right-arm seam bowling, sharp dot-ball pressure, and strike rate of 16.66 confirm he takes a wicket every 17 balls.
Five four-wicket hauls across nine seasons prove he consistently performs when results matter most.
2. Shaheen Shah Afridi – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 20.31 |
| Economy Rate | 7.97 |
| Strike Rate | 15.27 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 3 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 2 |
Shaheen owns the best bowling average and strike rate in this top 10. His left-arm first-over bursts have become the stuff of PSL folklore.
122 wickets in 84 matches, two five-wicket hauls, and a strike rate of 15.27 build an undeniable case.
3. Wahab Riaz – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 22.68 |
| Economy Rate | 7.79 |
| Strike Rate | 17.46 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 1 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
Wahab was PSL’s original pace enforcer. Raw pace, planned bouncer traps, and sharp reverse swing delivered 113 wickets in 88 matches at an economy of 7.79.
He held the all-time wicket record before Hasan Ali surpassed him in 2025. That milestone alone confirms the standard Wahab set across seven seasons.
4. Shadab Khan – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 24.20 |
| Economy Rate | 7.70 |
| Strike Rate | 18.85 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 3 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 1 |
Shadab takes wickets and controls runs simultaneously, a rare combination in T20 spin bowling. His sharp googly variations and disguised leg-breaks trouble batters at every stage.
105 wickets in 94 matches at a 7.70 economy, the best among leg-spinners here, back that claim with hard numbers.
5. Faheem Ashraf – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 24.13 |
| Economy Rate | 8.75 |
| Strike Rate | 16.54 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 2 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 2 |
Faheem Ashraf uses seam movement and pace variation to create consistent wicket opportunities. His strike rate of 16.54 is the second-best in this top 10.
A career-best 6/19, the most economical six-wicket haul on this list, and two five-wicket hauls across 95 wickets in 84 matches confirm his match-winning ability.
6. Mohammad Amir – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 27.08 |
| Economy Rate | 7.59 |
| Strike Rate | 21.38 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 3 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
Amir built his PSL reputation entirely on powerplay discipline. Left-arm swing both ways, early wickets, and an economy of 7.59, the second best in this top 10.
86 wickets in 84 matches with three four-wicket hauls across multiple franchises. He repeatedly broke opening partnerships before the opposition found their footing.
7. Haris Rauf – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 28.75 |
| Economy Rate | 9.30 |
| Strike Rate | 18.55 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 2 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
Haris Rauf bowls pure pace above 145 kmph with steep bounce and a death yorker that batters struggle to handle. 83 wickets in just 70 matches, the fewest appearances in the top seven.
Two four-wicket hauls show his ability to tear through lineups in a single aggressive spell.
8. Imad Wasim – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 29.44 |
| Economy Rate | 7.07 |
| Strike Rate | 24.97 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 1 |
Nobody in this top 10 is harder to score off. Imad’s economy of 7.07 is the best on this entire list, set across a record 101 PSL appearances.
His flat left-arm orthodox trajectory and subtle pace variations consistently kill batting momentum across all 20 overs, in every phase, for over a decade.
9. Mohammad Nawaz – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 28.71 |
| Economy Rate | 7.62 |
| Strike Rate | 22.59 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 1 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
Nawaz reads match situations quickly and adapts his line, length, and pace accordingly. Over nine PSL seasons, he has taken 74 wickets at an economy of 7.62, the second best among all spinners in this top 10.
He rarely leaks boundaries in critical overs and gives captains genuine balance in their attack.
10. Usama Mir – PSL Bowling Analysis
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Bowling Average | 23.82 |
| Economy Rate | 8.36 |
| Strike Rate | 17.09 |
| 4-Wicket Hauls | 0 |
| 5-Wicket Hauls | 1 |
63 wickets in 51 matches. Usama’s ratio separates him from every spinner on this list. His leg-spin googly and disguised variations consistently beat top-order batters.
A career-best 6/40, the best bowling average among all spinners here at 23.82, and the fewest matches in the top 10 make his case impossible to ignore.
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Conclusion: Hasan Ali & Shaheen Are PSL’s Greatest Bowlers of All Time
Hasan Ali leads on volume. Shaheen leads on quality. Every other name on this list fills a role that PSL cricket genuinely needed across nine hard-fought seasons.
From Shadab Khan’s wrist-spin variations to Imad Wasim’s unmatched economy rate, these ten bowlers have shaped the identity of the league in ways that scoreboards alone cannot fully capture.
FAQs
Shaheen Shah Afridi holds that position, with his left-arm swing, seam movement, and powerplay wickets making him Pakistan’s most dangerous bowler across all formats.
Babar Azam leads PSL’s all-time run charts, accumulating the most runs across multiple seasons while representing Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, and Peshawar Zalmi.
Hasan Ali holds the record with 125 career wickets in 92 matches, surpassing Wahab Riaz’s previous record during the 2025 season.
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most international wickets across all formats and is widely regarded as the greatest bowler cricket has ever produced.
