And the ten best bowlers of IPL are...

The Indian Premier League (IPL), since its inception, has set our pulses racing with some audacious performances, by players, both domestic and foreign. If there is any truth in the adage, "morning shows the day", the very first match of the tournament witnessed a surreal innings by New Zealander Brendon McCullum in 2008. It set the tone for many, many more such awe-inspiring performances over the years. Here we take a look at some spectacular bowling efforts that have left a lasting imprint on people's minds, in a tournament which may seem to have been tailor-made for batsmen. Sit back and enjoy!

Sohail Tanvir

The Pakistani may have an odd bowling action, but he delivered the goods for his team Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. His six-for-14 broke the back of the mighty Chennai Super Kings at Jaipur paving the way for a facile win for the eventual champions.

Anil Kumble

He proved that age is no factor, with jaw-dropping figures of five-for-five against the defending champions Rajasthan Royals in 2009. The way he foxed Shane Warne was simply magical.

Yuvraj Singh

He would probably feature more in a list of batting brilliance, but his hat-trick against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009 was something special. The Jacques Kallis wicket was the pick of the lot with the ball moving just a shade away to clip the top of the South African legend's off-stump.

Ishant Sharma

The lanky pacer can send down deliveries which are almost unplayable, as even legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya found out on different occasions. His spell of five-for-12 against the Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011 remains one of the best in IPL history.

Shoiab Akhtar

His spell of four-for-11 against the Delhi Daredevils in 2008 would take the cake for the best bowling effort in an innings in the IPL, because of its sheer impact on the match. The sight of Akhtar, running in at speed, with his hair flapping away and sending down thunderbolts, with a passionate 100,000 (approx) at the Eden Gardens behind him, would give you goosebumps.

NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS: Lasith Malinga, Sunil Narine, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Ashish Nehra.