In T20 cricket, bowlers are essential but often less celebrated compared to the star batters. Although batters can dramatically alter the outcome of a game, the history of the T20 World Cup shows that bowlers have been pivotal in determining the success of the tournament.
With the 2024 T20 World Cup coming up in the West Indies and the USA, let’s spotlight five of the most successful bowlers in the history of the tournament.
Here’s a look at the top 5 wicket takers in T20 World Cup history:
5. Ajantha Mendis – SL – 35 wickets
Ajantha Mendis was part of Sri Lanka’s 2014 T20 World Cup winning team
Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis took 35 wickets in just 21 innings across four T20 World Cup tournaments from 2009 to 2014. In Sri Lanka’s successful 2014 campaign in Bangladesh, he delivered a standout performance with figures of 3 for 12 against the Netherlands in a group stage match.
Mendis boasts the best bowling average (15.02) among all bowlers with more than 25 wickets in T20 World Cup history, and he also holds the second-best strike rate (13.45) among bowlers with over 30 wickets.
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4. Saeed Ajmal – PAK – 36 wickets
Saeed Ajmal during a training session
Saeed Ajmal was vital to Pakistan’s triumph in the 2009 T20 World Cup held in England. The skilled off-spinner took 12 wickets in just seven matches on pitches that favored seamers. In the semifinal against a formidable South African team, he gave away only 23 runs in four overs.
Ajmal continued to be a key wicket-taker in T20 World Cups until his last international game in 2015. By the end of his T20 World Cup career, he had amassed 36 wickets in 23 innings, with an average of 16.86 and an economy rate of 6.79.
3. Lasith Malinga – SL – 38 wickets
Lasith Malinga led Sri Lanka to 2014 T20 World Cup win
In 31 innings over five T20 World Cups from 2007 to 2014, the legendary Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga took 38 wickets. Beyond his impressive bowling record, Malinga led Sri Lanka to victory in the 2014 T20 World Cup held in Bangladesh.
Malinga was also instrumental in helping Sri Lanka reach the finals in 2009 and 2012, finishing as runners-up in England and Sri Lanka, respectively. His 38 wickets in T20 World Cups came with an average of 20.07 and a strike rate of 16.21.
2. Shahid Afridi – PAK – 39 wickets
Shahid Afridi is the highest T20 World Cup wicket-taker among Pakistan bowlers
Shahid Afridi, who was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the first T20 World Cup after taking 12 wickets, added 11 more wickets during Pakistan’s victorious run in the 2009 T20 World Cup held in England.
In total, Afridi ended his T20 World Cup career with 39 wickets in 34 matches. He maintained a bowling economy rate of 6.71 runs per over and achieved a remarkable strike rate of 20.76.
1. Shakib Al Hasan – BAN – 47 wickets
Shakib Al Hasan is just three scalps away from 50 T20 World Cup wickets
At the top of the T20 World Cup wicket-taking charts is the legendary Shakib Al Hasan from Bangladesh. Known for his clever left-arm spin, Shakib has taken 47 wickets in just 35 innings, with an impressive average of 18.63. He has also maintained a solid economy rate of 6.78 and has recorded three four-wicket hauls during his T20 World Cup career.
Shakib is one of only two players to have competed in every T20 World Cup since its start in 2007. He is on track to become the first bowler to reach 50 wickets in the tournament’s history.
Given his reputation and skill with the left-arm spin, the 37-year-old is expected to reach this milestone within the first week of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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