Being a bowler in the IPL is undoubtedly one of the toughest jobs in cricket. The league is heavily skewed towards batting, with flat pitches, shorter boundaries, and power-packed batting lineups making it a nightmare for bowlers. In the powerplay overs, batters waste no time and go all guns blazing, taking full advantage of fielding restrictions.

Jofra ArcherBowlers are often under immense pressure to contain runs while simultaneously hunting for wickets, but even the smallest margin of error can result in boundaries and sixes. Let's now take a look at some of the most expensive spells in IPL history, where bowlers endured unforgettable nightmares.

1. Jofra Archer: 0/76 (4 Overs) vs SRH

Even the best can have a bad day, and Jofra Archer experienced his against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Bought for INR 12.50 crore, Archer’s reputation as a lethal bowler was torn apart by the Orange Army batters.

Travis Head clobbered him for 23 runs in his first over, and the carnage continued as Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Heinrich Klaasen smashed nine more boundaries. Archer’s final figures of 0/76 remain the worst in IPL history.

2. Mohit Sharma: 0/73 (4 Overs) vs DC (2024)

Mohit Sharma’s spell against Delhi Capitals in 2024 was a nightmare from the moment he stepped onto the field. Introduced in the 12th over, he faced an on-fire Rishabh Pant, who smashed boundaries with ease.

By the time Mohit came back to bowl the final over, Pant was unstoppable. In a single over, the Roorkee-born smashed 6, 4, 6, 6 and 6, making Mohit Sharma the unfortunate record-holder for the most expensive spell bowled by an Indian in IPL history.

3. Basil Thampi: 0/70 (4 Overs) vs RCB (2018)

In 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Basil Thampi faced the wrath of RCB’s batting powerhouse at the batting paradise, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Moeen Ali set the tone with consecutive sixes, and the onslaught continued with AB de Villiers, Colin de Grandhomme, and Sarfaraz Khan punishing Thampi throughout his spell. The bowler was left with figures of 0/70, marking a night of brutal dominance by RCB.

4. Yash Dayal: 0/69 (4 Overs) vs KKR (2023)

In one of the most dramatic finishes ever, Yash Dayal was at the receiving end of a Rinku Singh masterclass. Defending 29 runs in the final over for Gujarat Titans against Kolkata Knight Riders, Dayal had no answers to Rinku’s unbelievable five consecutive sixes.

His figures, which were already 0/38 before the last over, ballooned to 0/69, as Rinku pulled off an unforgettable heist, a knock that will etch in the memory of fans.

5. Reece Topley: 1/68 (4 Overs) vs SRH (2024)

At the batting paradise of Chinnaswamy Stadium, Reece Topley became a casualty of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s historic batting blitz. Though he managed to dismiss Abhishek Sharma early on in the game, his night unraveled quickly.

Abdul Samad made his final over a nightmare by smashing 4, 4, 6, 6, and 4, as SRH posted the highest team total in IPL history. Topley’s spell ended with him conceding 68 runs, cementing his place in this unenviable list.