Listing captains with this bowling feat in T20I cricket
What's the story
Rashid Khan, the star leg-spinner from Afghanistan, has become the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals (T20Is). The 26-year-old cricketer achieved this milestone during the tri-series match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Sharjah. The game also saw Rashid complete 50 T20I wickets as captain. On this note, let's look at the full-member team bowlers with 40-plus T20I wickets while leading the team.
#1
Rashid Khan - 52 wickets
Rashid now tops this list, having raced to 52 wickets across 31 T20Is as captain at a sensational average of 13.46. No other skipper with at least 10 wickets owns a better average, as Rashid's best figures while leading in T20Is read 4/14. While he owns four four-fers as captain, no other player has even three such hauls in this regard. The leg-spinner's economy in this regard is 5.83.
#2
Shakib Al Hasan - 46 wickets
Bangladesh's veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has retired from T20I cricket, is second on this list. He led the Tigers across 39 T20Is and returned with 46 wickets at a fine average of 21.08 (BBI: 5/20). The left-arm spinner's economy is also under seven (6.97). Meanwhile, Shakib is the only bowler with multiple T20I fifers as a designated skipper (2).
#3
Tim Southee - 43 wickets
New Zealand's Tim Southee, who retired from international cricket last year, was the first bowler to reach 150 T20I wickets. 43 of his scalps came in 29 T20Is while leading the Kiwis at an average of 19.51. The veteran pacer owns an economy of 7.94 in this regard. He also owns a solitary fifer as a captain in T20Is (BBI: 5/25).
#4
Shahid Afridi - 40 wickets
The only other name on this list is of Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi. The talismanic leg-spinner led the Men in Green across 43 T20Is, returning with 40 wickets at an average of 27.12. His economy rate read 6.89 as captain Afridi also recorded a four-wicket haul (BBI: 4/14).