Most Wickets in T20

In the beginning of the T20I cricket, fast bowlers were praised for their ability to bowl at the death overs and limit batsmen with their yorkers. In T20 International, fast-bowling is the most effective instrument for getting batters out. Bowlers like Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah, Tim Southee, etc have the capability to bowl yorkers or slow yorkers or bouncers that can defeat the batsmen.

Read about: Best Bowling Figures in T20

Most of the time, spinners were used in the middle overs but now the team captain uses them from the first over or in the powerplay. The reputation of certain spinners shifted throughout time as a result of their performance in the Powerplay, and at the death. This altered people's perceptions of where a spin bowler can bowl. Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Rashid Khan are some of the bowlers who have bowled in powerplay and death overs also.

Most Wickets in T20 International

Considering the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 let’s check out some of the top bowlers who have taken the most T20 wickets.

Highest Wicket Taker in T20

Let's talk about few highest wicket takers in T20 international till date.

Lasith Malinga (107 Wickets)

Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan right-arm fast bowler, is at the top position for the most wickets (107) in T20I at an economy of 7.42 per over. He is one of the most dangerous and skilled fast bowlers in all formats of cricket. Malinga's brilliance and achievements may be attributed to his unconventional motion and sinking slower ball yorkers. He played his first T20I match against England at The Rose Bowl on Jun 15, 2006. As of Sept 2021, he has played 83 matches and taken 5 wickets two times in his T20I career. Malinga has also served as a captain for the Sri Lanka team in the 2014 T20 World Cup tournament. Malinga played his last T20I against West Indies at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Mar 06, 2020.

Shakib Al Hasan (106 Wickets)

Shakib al Hasan is one of the best cricketers of the Bangladesh cricket team and is the second bowler who has taken most wickets in T20I after Malinga. He is an all-rounder who loves to bat in the middle order and is a leg spinner with 106 wickets at an economy of 6.73 per over. His numbers show that he is a very economical bowler in the shortest format of cricket. He started his career in T20 international in a match against Zimbabwe at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium on Nov 28, 2006.

Tim Southee (99 Wickets)

Tim Southee, the right-arm fast bowler of New Zealand, is the 3rd most successful bowler with 99 wickets in T20I. Southee is well known for his speed and outswing bowling that helped him to reach this position. As of Oct 2021, he has played 82 matches and has taken 99 wickets at an economy of 8.39. He made his debut in the T20 international against England at Eden Park on Feb 05, 2008, where he took one wicket. He's not just a great new-ball bowler, but he's also a great old-ball bowler, thanks to pace variations and reverse swing. Tim Southee is without a doubt one of New Zealand's greatest talents in this decade. He is talented enough to recognize the pitch very fast and then make the bowling strategy accordingly.

Shahid Afridi (98 Wickets)

Shahid Afridi is one of the all-rounders of the Pakistan team who comes at the number 4 position for taking the most wickets in T20I. As of Oct 2021, he has taken 98 wickets in T20 international matches with an economy of 6.63. He put his feet in the T20 international cricket match against England at County Ground on Aug 28, 2006. It took 10 years for his all-round abilities to become evident, he is a leg break spinner with the variations of classic googly and a deadly quicker one.

Rashid Khan (95 Wickets)

Rashid Khan is one of the most successful leg break spinners in the world and is at the number 5th position for taking most wickets in T20I. As of Oct 2021, he has played 51 matches and taken 95 wickets in T20 internationals with an economy of 6.21. He made his debut for Afghanistan in T20I against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Oct 26, 2015.