CPL 2025: Top 5 leading wicket-takers of the season

The Caribbean Premier League was as interesting as it has ever been with aggressive batting and smart bowling plans. This year, the wickets column was dominated by a blend of craft and experience. When the tournament ended, the top five wicket-takers were led by a veteran leg-spinner who simply refused to miss his moments. Below are the top five wicket-takers of the season, who had a significant impact on the tournament. 

1. Imran Tahir - 23 wickets (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

Tahir finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with 23 scalps, and it wasn’t just volume but the impact it brought. The veteran leg-spinner picked wickets in clusters, breaking partnerships in the middle overs and producing at least one match-defining five-for that swung a contest. 

His ability to vary his flight and land the wrong 'un in pressure moments forced batters to take risk shots. The result was an unusually high reward rate for a spinner operating in T20 conditions. Tahir’s return underlined that wicket-taking spinners matter in CPL conditions, and experience still buys you a large margin for error. 

2. Usman Tariq - 20 wickets (Trinbago Knight Riders)

Tariq ended the campaign with 20 wickets and with the best average of 13.95 among all bowlers. This was the product of consistent lines, smart change-ups and reliable death bowling. Unlike a one-game wonder, Tariq’s value came from match-to-match control as he picked up regular wickets that kept run-rates in check and put pressure back on batters. 

For Trinbago, that steadiness in both middle overs and at the death was crucial. It let the captain plan an attacking fourth or fifth over, knowing someone would control the run flow afterwards. He played an important part in their title-winning campaign.

3. Gudakesh Motie - 18 wickets (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

Motie finished third with 18 wickets, and the reasons are simple and evident in awkward bounce and repeatable pace off the pitch. He made life difficult in the powerplay and early middle overs, often forcing batters into lower-percentage shots. Motie’s season included a standout haul of five wickets and several two-wicket bursts that stalled promising chases. 

As a frontline spinner, his ability to keep the tight lines, especially in tense situations, made it difficult for batters and made him indispensable to Guyana’s plans.

4. Tabraiz Shamsi - 17 wickets (Saint Lucia Kings)

Shamsi’s left-arm wrist spin proved repeatedly troublesome for the opponent batters. He mixed flatter, skidded deliveries with the loopy, drifting ball that invited false drives. His tactical bowling of using the angle to right-handers and squeezing out drift against left-handers allowed Shamsi to pick up wickets both up front and in crunch phases. 

He finished with 17 wickets, and just as importantly, his spells often stopped momentum when the Kings were under pressure. That model of controlling an innings and then snaring wickets made him a big reason Saint Lucia stayed competitive.

5. Dwaine Pretorius - 17 wickets (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

Pretorius completed the top five on 17 wickets as well, with a season that proved his continuing value as a finisher with the ball. Operating mostly in the death overs, Pretorius combined yorkers, slower cutters, and well-disguised slower balls to choke scoring in the final six and pick up late dismissals. 

Where Tahir and Motie created early and middle pressure, Pretorius helped close out innings, which is a balance that turned defendable totals into victories for Guyana. He provided his team with some important runs down the order with the bat as well.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!