Fazalhaq Farooqi breaks unwanted IPL record after going wicketless for Rajasthan Royals in full season
Rajasthan Royals struggled with their bowling in the 2025 edition of the IPL and Afghan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi’s performance probably reflected that. Royals went back to him again and again, but the left-armer failed to pick a single wicket through the season.
The leading wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup 2024 last year in the West Indies and the USA, Fazalhaq Farooqi, had a shocker of an IPL season for the Rajasthan Royals as he went wicketless for the whole tournament despite playing five matches. Farooqi’s performances pretty much reflect how poor the bowling attack was for the Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing IPL season, even though they ended the campaign on a high with a win in Delhi against the Chennai Super Kings.
Farooqi’s horror season meant that he now holds the record for the worst figures by a bowler in an edition while going wicketless as he conceded 210 runs in five matches. Farooqi, who didn’t play his side’s final game of the campaign, broke the record held previously by Ishant Sharma, who leaked 179 runs in six matches for the then Kings XI Punjab in 2017 without taking a single wicket.
Punjab Kings’ Marcus Stoinis is in the top five on the list having given away 140 runs without taking a wicket but can get his name removed if he strikes in the remaining games for his side.
Most runs conceded by a bowler in an IPL season (Wicketless)
210 – Fazalhaq Farooqi (RR), in 5 innings – 2025
179 – Ishant Sharma (KXIP), in 6 innings – 2017
171 – Karn Sharma (SRH), in 5 innings – 2016
149 – Brett Lee (KXIP), in 4 innings – 2010
140 – Marcus Stoinis (PBKS), in 7 innings – 2025
With Jofra Archer unavailable, Farooqi got another chance against the Punjab Kings in Jaipur but registered figures of 0/39 in what ended up being his final game of the season. Farooqi was picked by Royals for Rs 2 crore at the IPL auction, but he couldn’t deliver the goods, which he can as he has shown for Afghanistan on the international stage.
The Royals have a lot of thinking and soul-searching to do before the next season as they get over what was a really disappointing outing, following a splendid three-year cycle from 2022-2024.