Arshdeep Singh becomes first Indian with 150 T20I wickets
What's the story
Arshdeep Singh has become the first Indian bowler to complete 150 wickets in the T20I format. The 27-year-old achieved this milestone during the fourth T20I against New Zealand on Friday. The left-arm pacer needed one wicket to reach the landmark. With this, Arshdeep has also become the first bowler from a Full Member team to complete 40 wickets in a calendar year.
Milestone
Arshdeep dismisses Santner to reach 150 T20I wickets
Arshdeep reached the landmark in the last over of his spell when he dismissed New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner for five.
The left-arm pacer bowled a full delivery outside off, forcing Santner to reach for the shot.
The batter sliced it toward sweeper cover, where Nitish Kumar Reddy took a well-judged catch near the boundary.
Finishing with 1/38 across four overs, Arshdeep was the most economical Indian bowler on the day as the Kiwis posted their highest-ever T20I total (259/7).
Record-breaking year
Most T20I wickets in a calendar year
In the current year, Arshdeep has been in phenomenal form, racing to 40 wickets across 31 games at an average of 24-plus, as per Cricinfo.
His economy rate has been on the higher side (9.21).
With this, the Indian pacer broke the tie with Ireland's Joshua Little for the most T20I wickets in a calendar year by a player from a Full Member team.
The latter had claimed 39 wickets in 2022.
Feat
Fastest to reach the milestone
Arshdeep has reached the 150-wicket milestone in just 1,577 days since his T20I debut, the fastest by any bowler.
He surpassed Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, who took 2,325 days to get to 150 wickets.
Arshdeep also took the fewest deliveries for a pacer to reach this milestone (2,143).
Hasaranga (2,035) and Afghanistan's Rashid Khan (2,098) are the ones ahead of him.
Overall, he became the ninth bowler with this milestone.
Career
Most T20I wickets for India
With this spell, Arshdeep has raced to 150 wickets from 103 T20Is at an incredible average of 20.62.
His tally includes 2 four-wicket hauls, a fifer, and an economy rate of 8.65.
22 of his wickets have come in 14 games against the Kiwis at 22.22 (ER: 9.40). This includes his only fifer, which came earlier this year.
Arshdeep has also completed 49 wickets across 35 away (home of opposition) matches at 19.83.