39 wickets in 2026! Arshdeep Singh equals this T20I record
What's the story
Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh has made history by equaling the record for the most T20I wickets in a calendar year by a player from a Full Member team. The achievement came during the third T20I against New Zealand on October 27 in Wellington, when he claimed his 39th wicket of the year. This puts him on par with Ireland's Joshua Little, who had achieved the same feat in 2022.
Yearly statistics
His stellar performance this year
Arshdeep trapped NZ opener Tim Seifert (2) early to reach the milestone. The left-arm pacer finished his four-over spell with figures worth 1/33.
In the current year, Arshdeep has been in phenomenal form, racing to 39 wickets across 30 games at an average of 25, as per Cricinfo.
His economy rate has been on the higher side (9.21).
His best bowling figures in a match this year are 5/51 - which also marks his only five-wicket haul so far.
Record comparison
Most T20I wickets in a calendar year (Full Member teams)
As mentioned, Arshdeep's achievement puts him on a list of top wicket-takers in a calendar year for Full Member teams.
He is tied with Little at the top, followed by Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga (38 wickets in 2024) and India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar (37 wickets in 2022).
The record for most wickets taken by any player in a calendar year is held by Ali Dawood from Bahrain, who took 63 wickets in 37 matches last year.
Career
Most T20I wickets for India
With this spell, Arshdeep has raced to 149 wickets from 102 T20Is at an incredible average of 20.50.
His tally includes 2 four-wicket hauls, a fifer, and an economy rate of 8.65.
The left-arm pacer is in line to become the first Indian to claim 150 T20I scalps.
21 of his wickets have come in 13 games against the Kiwis at 21.47 (ER: 9.39). This includes his only fifer.