Purple Cap in IPL 2026: Moshin Khan enters race for most wickets award with career-best 5/23 during LSG vs KKR
LSG’s pace attack looks much stronger with Mohsin Khan leading the charge. The team’s bowling unit restricted KKR effectively and kept their playoff hopes alive.
Mohsin Khan, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer, has burst into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Purple Cap contention stunningly. On Sunday (April 26), he produced a match-winning spell of 5/23 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. This career-best performance not only powered LSG to a vital win but also pushed him straight into the top 10 of the most wickets list.
Mohsin Khan’s explosive spell turns the game
Mohsin Khan bowled with real fire and smart variations in the middle overs. He claimed five wickets for just 23 runs in four overs, including a maiden over that left KKR’s batters clueless. His spell broke partnerships and kept the pressure high when LSG needed it most. Fans and experts are already calling it one of the best bowling efforts of the season so far.
Before this game, Mohsin had taken four wickets in three matches. The five-wicket haul lifted his total to nine wickets from only four games.
Mohsin Khan after the first innings of the LSG vs KKR clash
"Right now, I am only thinking that the team should win first. Whatever performance I have had should convert into a win, and our team should win. We will try to bat well too, winning is very important for us. (How's the body?) I am absolutely fine, fully fit. I have worked really hard, especially in the off-season with our trainer, Sohab bhai. My body feels good, and everything is going well," Mohsin Khan said.
"I am focusing on my body, just trying to stay fit and healthy and keep playing matches. That’s all. (thoughts on the score) We bowled good overs. Maybe a few runs came in the last one or two overs, but we’re going to win today. The score is decent," he added.
Updated IPL 2026 Purple Cap standings
Mohsin now sits ninth but stands out with the best economy rate among the top contenders. His strike rate and ability to bowl in tough phases make him a real threat to climb higher quickly.
| Rank | Name | Wickets | Innings | Best | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anshul Kamboj (CSK) | 14 | 8 | 3/22 | 8.56 |
| 2 | Eshan Malinga (SRH) | 14 | 8 | 4/32 | 9.44 |
| 3 | Jofra Archer (RR) | 13 | 8 | 3/20 | 8.03 |
| 4 | Prince Yadav (LSG) | 13 | 8 | 3/32 | 8.06 |
| 5 | Kagiso Rabada (GT) | 13 | 8 | 3/25 | 9.48 |
| 6 | Prasidh Krishna (GT) | 12 | 7 | 4/28 | 10.34 |
| 7 | Bhuvaneshwar Kumar (RCB) | 11 | 7 | 3/26 | 8.25 |
| 8 | Ravi Bishnoi (RR) | 9 | 8 | 4/41 | 9.54 |
| 9 | Mohsin Khan (LSG) | 9 | 4 | 5/23 | 6.37 |
| 10 | Jamie Overton (CSK) | 9 | 7 | 4/18 | 9.73 |
What Mohsin Khan's form means for LSG and the Purple Cap battle
LSG’s pace attack looks much stronger with Mohsin Khan leading the charge. The team’s bowling unit restricted KKR effectively and kept their playoff hopes alive. With the league phase moving into its final stretch, one big performance can change everything in the Purple Cap race.
Leaders like Anshul Kamboj and Eshan Malinga still hold the top spots with 14 wickets each, but players such as Prince Yadav, Jofra Archer, and now Mohsin Khan are closing the gap fast.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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