Correspondent, 24 October: Indian fast bowler Arshdeep Singh achieved a historic milestone during the second match of the ongoing five-match T20 series against New Zealand, securing the top spot for the most T20 International wickets taken by an Indian in a single calendar year.
After India won the toss and elected to bowl first, New Zealand set a target of 181 runs. Arshdeep showcased excellent form during the game, claiming the crucial wickets of Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips while conceding 33 runs in his four-over spell.
These two dismissals brought Arshdeep's total T20 International wickets in 2026 to 38. He achieved this tally across 26 innings in 29 matches this year, maintaining an economy rate of 9.25. His best bowling figures during this period stand at five wickets for 51 runs. Previously, he had secured 36 T20 wickets for India in 2024.
By reaching 38 wickets, Arshdeep surpassed the previous Indian record held by Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the most wickets in a calendar year. Bhuvneshwar had claimed 37 wickets in 32 matches during 2022.
On a global scale, the overall world record for the most T20I wickets in a calendar year is held by Ali Dawood, who took 63 wickets in 37 matches in 2025. However, among ICC full member nations, the record belongs to Ireland's Joshua Little, who secured 39 wickets in 26 matches in 2022. Arshdeep now has the opportunity to break Little's record during the ongoing series against New Zealand.
Having made his debut in 2022, Arshdeep Singh is currently India's most successful bowler in T20 International cricket, with 148 wickets in 101 matches so far. He now stands a chance to become the first Indian bowler, as well as the fastest fast bowler overall, to reach the 150-wicket mark in T20s. To date, only eight bowlers worldwide have claimed more than 150 wickets in this format.
