Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was on fire for India against South Africa on Wednesday (November 13) during the third T20I played between the two teams at SuperSport Park in Centurion. The 25-year-old fast bowler picked up three wickets for 37 runs in his quota of four overs. He opened his account on the last ball of the third over of the run chase by breaching Ryle Rickleton’s defence and shattering his stumps. In his second spell, Arshdeep then removed dangerman Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen was caught by Tilak Varma after scoring 41 runs from just 22 balls. By taking Klaasen’s wicket, Arshdeep completed 91 dismissals for India in T20Is, which helped him break Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s record and become India’s most successful fast bowler in T20Is.
Bhuvneshwar, who hasn’t played for India since November 2022, has 90 wickets to his name in 86 T20Is played so far since making his debut against Pakistan in December 2012, whereas Arshdeep now has picked up 92 wickets in 59 shortest format matches for the Men in Blue.
Only Yuzvendra Chahal has accounted for the dismissal of more batters for India in T20Is than Arshdeep. Chahal has 96 wickets to his name in 80 T20Is. The star spinner last played a T20I for India in August 2023 against the West Indies.
Arshdeep made his T20I debut for India in Southampton against England on July 7, 2022, and in less than three years he has moved to the No. 2 position in the list of bowlers with the most wickets.
If Arshdeep manages to take 8 wickets in the next 11 T20Is for the Men in Blue, then he will break Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf’s record and become the fastest fast bowler in the world to dismiss 100 batters in T20Is. Rauf completed 100 wickets in T20Is during his 71st match for the Men in Green.
To date, no Indian bowler has managed to take 100 wickets in T20Is, and Arshdeep will have a chance to achieve the feat during the five-match T20I series between India and England in January-February next year.
