Taking Wickets in T20 cricket is quite a difficult task and maintaining a good economy rate is a step further. Doing all this at the World T20, the grandest stage of T20I cricket is a further bigger challenge. Following is the list of T20 World Cup bowling records.
T20 World Cup Bowling Records
Most Wickets at the ICC World T20
With 47 wickets in 36 matches, T20 World Cup best bowler is Shakib Al Hassan. He hold the record for most wickets at the ICC World T20. Shakib averages 18 with the ball in World T20. Following Shakib is Shahid Afridi. Afridi who has acclaimed 39 wickets in 34 matches.
The third in this elite list is Yorker specialist Lasith Malinga. He is also the highest wicket taking pacer of World T20 history. He has 38 wickets in 31 matches. Interestingly, all 3 top wicket takers of World T20 belongs to Asian block.
Most Maiden Overs in the Men’s T20 World Cup
Taking wickets is one thing, but bowling a maiden over in T20I cricket is a big achievement. Harbhajan Singh of India has bowled 4 maiden overs in World T20 history, which is the most by any bowler. He has bowled 69 overs in total during his World T20 career.
Following Harbhajan are; Dilhara Fernando, Ranaga Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ajantha Mendis and Mohammad Amir; all of them have bowled 3 maidens in their World T20 careers.
Best Economy Rate in T20 World Cup
Amongst the bowlers who have bowled at least 100 balls at the World T20, Sachitra Senanayke of Sri Lanka has the best economy rate, which is 4.88. Following is the renowned Caribbean bowler Sunil Narine who has an economy rate of 5.17 in the event’s history. Third in this list is Oman’s Bilal Khan who has an economy rate of 5.30 in the tournament’s history.
Best Bowling Figures in an Innings at the World T20
Sri Lanka’s mystery spinner, Ajantha Mendis remains the only bowler till date to take a six wicket haul at the World T20. Mendis’s 6/8 against Zimbabwe in World T20 2012 are the best bowling figures till date in World T20 history. Following Mendis is his country-mate Rangana Herath, who took 5/3 against New Zealand during the World T20 2014.
Pakistan’s Umar Gul stands 3rd in this list with 5/6 against New Zealand in World T20 2009. Umar Gul also holds the record for the best bowling figures by a pacer in World T20 history.
Worst Bowling Figures in World T20
Sri Lanka not only dominates the records for best bowling figures, but a Sri Lankan also tops the list for the worst bowling figures in World T20 history. Former al-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya conceded 64 runs in his 4 over spell in World T20 2007 during the game against Pakistan. These are till date the most expensive bowling figures of World T20 history.
2nd in this list is Bangladesh’s Mashrafe Mortaza. He conceded 63 runs in his 4 over spell. Interestingly his 1/63 also came against Pakistan, in World T20 2014. Lameck Onyango of Kenya conceded 1/61 against Sri Lanka in World T20 2007 which are the third worst figures of World T20 history.
