Afghan spinner Rashid Khan reached a landmark moment in his T20I career on Thursday, October 29. The right-arm Afghan leg-spinner became the first-ever bowler in history to achieve 200 T20I wickets.
The moment came during the Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe second T20I, which was played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.
T20 cricket is one of the most widely played formats across the world. T20 Internationals have also become the centre stage of international cricket tours nowadays. Indian bowlers are also chasing this record, notably Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.
This article will explore the complete list of leading wicket-takers in T20 Internationals, as well as the Indian bowlers who are nearing this record, in more detail.
How Did Rashid Khan Reach the Milestone?
Rashid Khan made his debut against the same team in 2015 at the Queens Sports Club in Zimbabwe. Since then, Rashid has become one of the finest T20 bowlers the world has ever seen, known for his fast action, quick-arm action and variations.
He has made a mark across different leagues as well as for his national side in this format.
The moment came during the second innings of the match in the ninth over when Rashid Khan trapped Tadiwanashe Marumani LBW. His teammates and everyone around him celebrated this iconic moment.
Eventually, Afghanistan went on to win the match by 19 runs, powered by Azmatullah Omarzai's sensational century after a top-order collapse in the first innings.
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Most Wickets in T20 International Cricket
Rashid Khan now tops the list with 200 wickets to his name, followed by England's Adil Rashid with 171 wickets.
Below is the list of the top 10 leading wicket-takers in T20I cricket.
|
Player
|
Matches
|
Wickets
|
Average
|
Best Figures
|
4/5-Wicket Hauls
|
|
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
|
120
|
200
|
14.06
|
5/3
|
9 / 2
|
|
Adil Rashid (England)
|
153
|
171
|
23.42
|
4/2
|
4 / 0
|
|
Ehsan Khan (Hong Kong)
|
119
|
165
|
15.38
|
5/26
|
8 / 1
|
|
Ish Sodhi (New Zealand)
|
142
|
165
|
23.01
|
4/12
|
4 / 0
|
|
Tim Southee (New Zealand)
|
126
|
164
|
22.38
|
5/18
|
2 / 2
|
|
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
|
101
|
163
|
16.23
|
4/9
|
5 / 0
|
|
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
|
130
|
163
|
21.14
|
6/10
|
3 / 2
|
|
Adam Zampa (Australia)
|
118
|
153
|
20.34
|
5/19
|
5 / 1
|
|
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
|
129
|
149
|
20.91
|
5/20
|
6 / 2
|
|
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)
|
141
|
149
|
23.24
|
4/11
|
4 / 0
|
How Far Are Indian Bowlers from the 200-Wicket Mark?
Indian bowlers are also not very far from this achievement. Arshdeep Singh leads the race with 149 wickets to his name in 102 T20I matches, at an average of 20.50.
He is the frontline pacer for India right now. He can swing the ball during the powerplay and bowl accurate yorkers at the death.
Jasprit Bumrah is undoubtedly one of the greatest all-format bowlers the world has ever seen. Bumrah has often been out of India's playing XI due to injuries. However, his record and numbers speak volumes about his legacy. In 100 T20I matches for India, he has taken 126 wickets with a sensational economy rate of just 6.52.
Bumrah was also named Player of the Match in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, helping India win the tournament after 17 years.
Below is a look at the T20I records of both Indian bowlers:
|
Player
|
Matches
|
Wickets
|
Average
|
Economy
|
4/5-Wicket Hauls
|
|
Arshdeep Singh
|
102
|
149
|
20.50
|
8.65
|
2/1
|
|
Jasprit Bumrah
|
100
|
126
|
18.21
|
6.52
|
1/0
|
Which Indian Bowler Is Likely to Reach 200 Wickets First?
Given the current statistics, Arshdeep Singh is likely to reach the 200 wicket mark first, with 149 wickets to his name. At just 27 years of age, he still has a long career ahead of him. With no serious injury concerns, he could achieve this feat in the next 1 year or so.
Also READ: Sunil Narine Completes 650 T20 Wickets: Check top T20 Wicket Takers