Imran Tahir is flying South Africa’s flag in the early stages of the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL).

Royal Challengers Bangalore leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s eight wickets in four games makes him the leading bowler going into Wednesday’s 15th game of the tournament between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

But CSK’s Tahir could surpass him on Wednesday — he has claimed six scalps in his three games.

Five other bowlers are also on six wickets each‚ but none have conceded as few as the 52 runs next to Tahir’s name.

Kagiso Rabada is among them‚ but at the cost of 122 runs. Delhi Capitals’ Chris Morris and Kings XI Punjab’s Hardus Viljoen have four wickets each.

Another one of the five on six‚ Sam Curran‚ took four in five legal deliveries for Punjab against Delhi in Chandigarh on Monday.

Curran‚ who also scored 20 off 10 opening the batting in a T20 for the first time‚ started his raid by having Colin Ingram caught at long off and ended it — along with the match — with a hattrick that saw him york Rabada.

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow have each scored a century for Sunrisers Hyderabad‚ and Sanju Samson has notched another for Rajasthan Royals.

The South Africans who have come closest to reaching that standard are AB de Villiers‚ Quinton de Kock and David Miller‚ who are among 22 half-centurions.

De Villiers made 70 not out — 40 of them in fours and sixes — for RCB against Mumbai in Bangalore on Thursday.

De Kock hit six fours and two sixes in the 39-ball 60 he scored for Mumbai against Punjab in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Miller’s unbeaten 59 for Punjab against Knight Riders in Kolkata last Wednesday came off 40 balls and featured five fours and three sixes.

Thirteen batters have scored more runs than Miller’s aggregate of 117‚ 15 more than De Kock’s 110‚ and De Villiers has made only 23 runs in his three other innings.

It’s been a quiet tournament so far for Faf du Plessis‚ who hasn’t played in any of CSK’s three games.