Josh Hazlewood etched his name into the record books on Monday (April 27), becoming the first overseas bowler to claim 50 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.
Hazlewood reached the milestone by dismissing KL Rahul on the very first ball of the second over during RCB’s clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Rahul, who was coming off a sensational unbeaten 152 in the previous match, was sent back early, giving Hazlewood his landmark wicket.
Playing his 32nd match for RCB, Hazlewood has been a key figure for the franchise since joining in 2022. He made an immediate impact in his debut season, picking up 20 wickets in 12 matches. Injuries restricted him to just three appearances in 2023, while he missed the 2024 season entirely.
The Australian quick bounced back strongly in 2025, claiming 22 wickets in 12 matches, and has continued to contribute in IPL 2026, adding to his tally in the ongoing season.
While Hazlewood now leads the list among overseas bowlers for RCB, the franchise’s overall wicket-taking record is still held by Yuzvendra Chahal, who picked up 139 wickets during his stint with the team. He is followed by Harshal Patel with 99 wickets, while Mohammed Siraj and R Vinay Kumar also have higher tallies than Hazlewood’s current count.
Hazlewood’s achievement underlines his consistency and impact as one of RCB’s most reliable pace options in recent seasons.
