In the T20 World Cup, the classic adage “bowlers win tournaments and batters win games” is even more accurate. Because cricket is played in a shorter format and is more fair to bowlers, the game is evolving quickly. Most of the time, the rules shift in favour of the batters, but the bowlers are still crucial and make the difference.
In T20 cricket, bowling calls for a blend of skill, variety, and flexibility. Gaining wickets at crucial times can change the course of a game and give the bowling team the upper hand. The bowlers on this list have consistently performed in every T20 World Cup edition.
T20 World Cup 2007- Umar Gul
Umar Gul of Pakistan emerged as the 2007 T20 World Cup’s top wicket-taker. The bowler took 13 wickets at an average of 11.92 in seven games, and Pakistan advanced to the competition finals thanks to his outstanding play. They were about to win it too, but India did something amazing in the closing moments to win their first and only T20 World Championship.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 13 | 11.92 | 4/28 | 5.60 |
T20 World Cup 2009- Umar Gul
Umar Gul once again finished as the leading wicket-taker in 2009. He had picked up 13 wickets in seven matches once again, and courtesy of his performance, Pakistan managed to win the T20 World Cup in 2009. They defeated Sri Lanka on the night of the finals, in which Gul picked up the wicket of Chamara Silva. He was extremely consistent for the entire season, which played a vital role in Pakistan’s success.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 13 | 12.15 | 5/6 | 6.44 |
T20 World Cup 2010- Dirk Nannes
Australia’s Dirk Nannes finished as the leading wicket-taker in 2010. The ace pacer picked up 14 wickets in seven matches at an average of 13.07 as Australia qualified for the finals. However, they lost to England, but Nannes’ performance was extremely impressive, which helped him earn multiple franchise contracts in the future.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 14 | 13.07 | 4/18 | 7.03 |
T20 World Cup 2012- Ajantha Mendis
In home conditions, Ajantha Mendis was almost unplayable in the 2012 T20 World Cup. The Sri Lanka spinner picked 15 wickets in six matches at an average of 9.80, which is phenomenal, to say the least. Courtesy of his influential performances, Sri Lanka qualified for the finals of the competition but failed to get the job done against a strong West Indies side.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 15 | 9.80 | 6/8 | 6.11 |
T20 World Cup 2014- Imran Tahir & Ahsan Malik
Imran Tahir and Ahsan Malik finished as the joint leading-wicket-takers in the tournament. Tahir picked up 12 wickets in just five wickets, while Netherlands’ Malik took seven wickets to pick up the same number of wickets. In that edition, South Africa played in the semis but lost to India, while the Netherlands couldn’t cross the group stage.
Imran Tahir’s Stats:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 12 | 10.91 | 4/21 | 6.55 |
Ahsan Malik’s Stats:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 12 | 14.83 | 5/19 | 6.78 |
T20 World Cup 2016- Mohammad Nabi
Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2016 T20 World Cup. He was terrific in the qualification, which helped Afghanistan qualify for the main round of the competition. In the Super 10, he failed to impress as Afghanistan was knocked out after finishing last in their group.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 12 | 13.66 | 4/20 | 6.60 |
T20 World Cup 2021- Wanindu Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2021 edition. He was spectacular in the spin-friendly conditions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the Sri Lanka international picked 16 wickets in eight matches. He failed to take Sri Lanka to the semis but was extremely impressive.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 16 | 9.75 | 3/9 | 5.20 |
T20 World Cup 2022- Wanindu Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga became the second player to finish as the leading wicket-taker in two different editions of the T20 World Cup. In Australia, the current Sri Lanka skipper picked up 15 wickets in eight matches, but once again, the Lankan Lions failed to qualify for the semis.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 15 | 13.26 | 3/13 | 6.41 |
T20 World Cup 2024- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, with 17 wickets to his name. However, India’s Arshdeep Singh is right behind him and can go on top if he keeps up with the momentum in the remainder of the tournament.
Stats Table:
| Matches | Wickets | Average | Best Bowling | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 17 | 9.23 | 5/9 | 5.60 |
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