Highest Wicket-Takers In T20Is

Cricket especially T20 format is growing prominence due to T20 leagues. Although most people remember T20 cricket mostly for the explosive knocks and huge sixes, we must appreciate excellent bowling performances as well. With most facets of the game designed to favor the batter, being a successful bowler in T20 cricket requires incredible levels of skill and planning, and the following names on this list of the highest wicket-takers in T20Is have been displaying these qualities and more on the international stage throughout their careers.

Let’s have a look at Highest wicket-takers in T20I

1. Tim Southee (147)

Fast-tracked onto the international stage following a Player-of-the-Tournament performance at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, Tim Southee quickly established himself as one of the most accomplished fast bowlers New Zealand has ever produced. Alongside Trent Boult, Southee formed one of the world’s best new-ball partnerships, taking the Kiwi bowling attack to the next level. Effective across a wide variety of conditions, Southee relies on the basics of pace and outswing, which is how he has claimed the majority of his wickets.

In 117 matches, Southee has picked up 147 wickets for his country, at an average of 23.72 and a strike rate of 17.42, while maintaining an economy rate of 8.16 as a primarily opening bowler. Injuries have prevented Southee from reaching his maximum potential, but he remains one of the finest exponents of the new ball across every format. He also adds value with the bat lower down the order and happens to be one of the most prolific six hitters in world cricket.

2. Shakib Al Hasan (140*)

Topping this list of the highest wicket-takers in T20Is is one of the best all-rounders in the game and one of the best cricketers Bangladesh has ever produced, Shakib Al Hasan. An excellent left-arm spinner and left-handed batter, he has won Bangladesh many a game with bat or ball in hand, and sometimes even both in the same game. He features towards the top of run-scoring and wicket-taking charts not just in Bangladesh cricketing history but in world cricket, a testament to his incredible ability.

His innate match-winning ability, combined with incredible consistency, unwavering self-belief, and unflappable coolness under pressure, has seen him shine on the international stage as well as in franchise cricket. Since 2006, Shakib has taken 140 T20I wickets in 117 matches with his accurate and wily off-spinners at an average of 20.49, a strike rate of 18.10, and a creditable economy rate of just 6.79.

3. Rashid Khan (130*)

Ever since he burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old, Rashid Khan has been breaking records wherever he has played his cricket. An incredibly successful leg-spinner, Rashid relies more on speed and accuracy than turning off the pitch, putting batters the world over under pressure by maintaining a nagging line and length and not giving them any time to settle. His googly is his most devastating weapon, but he is constantly innovating and working on new variations.

As a result, he has taken 130 T20I wickets in just 82 matches at an average of 14.80 and a strike rate of 14.41, all the while maintaining an economy rate of 6.16. Still only 24, Rashid has a long career ahead of him, which will probably see him shoot up this list of highest wicket-takers in T20Is and remain there for some time to come.

In addition to being one of the best leg-spinners in world cricket, Rashid is a handy batter lower down the order, eminently capable of stroking a few boundaries toward the end of an innings. As such, he is one of the most in-demand players for T20 franchises worldwide, and success has followed him wherever he has gone. This has translated to success with his country as well, as he was honored as the 2017 ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year and has gone on to become the youngest cricketer to top the ODI bowling rankings, the youngest man to captain an international side, and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets, among other notable accolades.

4. Ish Sodhi (118*)

Ludhiana-born and New Zealand-raised, Ish Sodhi was handed a Test debut after only one full season of first-class cricket. A conventional leg-spinner, Sodhi generates appreciable turn off most surfaces and extracts significant bounce off the pitch thanks to his tall frame. Furthermore, he is not afraid to impart flight to the ball, daring batters to take him on. As a result, in 98 T20I matches, Sodhi has taken 118 wickets at an average of 22.88 and a strike rate of 17.24, all the while maintaining an economy rate of 7.96. His aggressive approach has seen him feature regularly for the Kiwis in limited-overs cricket, where he is regarded as a genuine wicket-taking option and is afforded the freedom to operate as such.

5. Lasith Malinga (107)

Lasith Malinga was instantly recognizable for a variety of reasons, be it his curly mop of bleached blond hair or his distinctive low-slung bowling action. He debuted as a tearaway quick who could deliver searing in-swinging yorkers with relentless accuracy and went on to add an excellent bouncer and an incredibly deceptive slower ball that was almost as unplayable as his yorker, which he still retained. Additionally, he was extremely adept at setting batters up, making plans, and shuffling fields around to execute them.

His physical talents and mental acuity saw him claim 107 wickets in just 84 T20Is at an average of 20.79 and a strike rate of 16.81, maintaining an economy rate of 7.42. He was the first bowler to breach the 100-wicket mark in T20Is, thus becoming the first bowler to take 100 wickets across all three formats of international cricket.

The spearhead of the Sri Lankan bowling attack for the majority of his career, Malinga shone in the limited-overs format. He took multiple hat-tricks in ODIs, including being the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls, a feat that no one has matches since. He was also an integral part of Sri Lanka’s victorious team in the 2014 T20 World Cup.

Unfortunately, his unique bowling action took its toll on his body, specifically on his hips and legs, and the resultant injuries sped up his decline. Despite a downgrade in pace and mobility, he remained an extremely canny operator and remains one of the stars of the Indian Premier League, where he was part of four title-winning sides.

These are the top 5 highest wicket-takers in the history of T20 format. In the T20I format, bowlers have to be on their knees to display stellar performances & provide their respective teams with early breakthroughs. Being a batter dominant game and excelling with the ball in the T20 format is a matter of pride & these bowlers have earned that pride.

Share with us your favorite T20I bowlers & why you think that they deserve a place in this list.

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