Most Wickets in T20 International Cricket — All-Time Rankings 2026

T20 International cricket places bowlers under relentless pressure. With batters empowered by modern equipment, flat pitches, and aggressive mindsets, taking wickets in this format requires skill, variation, and the ability to maintain control while attacking. The bowlers on this list have done all of that — across dozens of matches, against the world's best batters, in high-stakes knockout games and regular internationals alike.

The All-Time T20I Wicket-Takers Table

Rank	Player	Country	Matches	Wickets	Avg	Econ	SR	BBI
1	Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	129	145	21.34	7.07	18.1	5/20
2	Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	98	145	13.41	6.26	12.8	5/3
3	Tim Southee	New Zealand	128	143	22.45	8.10	16.6	5/18
4	Lasith Malinga	Sri Lanka	84	107	20.79	7.59	16.4	5/31
5	Wanindu Hasaranga	Sri Lanka	68	121	15.62	7.33	12.8	6/5
6	Dwayne Bravo	West Indies	91	78	24.45	8.26	17.8	4/28
7	Imad Wasim	Pakistan	72	89	19.62	6.73	17.5	5/14
8	Jasprit Bumrah	India	67	89	18.76	6.54	17.2	3/11
9	Shaheen Afridi	Pakistan	65	92	21.90	7.88	16.7	4/22
10	Ish Sodhi	New Zealand	87	107	24.06	8.35	17.3	5/11
11	Adil Rashid	England	80	103	24.90	7.79	19.2	4/2
12	Samuel Badree	West Indies	51	52	14.54	5.76	15.1	5/13
13	Yuzvendra Chahal	India	80	96	23.85	8.17	17.5	6/25
14	Chris Jordan	England	76	97	24.10	9.05	16.0	4/6
15	Anrich Nortje	South Africa	49	72	20.02	7.40	16.2	4/10

Stats current as of April 2026. Active player figures are approximate.

Shakib Al Hasan — The Greatest All-Round T20I Cricketer

Shakib Al Hasan is T20I cricket's greatest left-arm spinning all-rounder and one of the most complete international cricketers Bangladesh has produced. His 145 wickets make him the joint all-time leader alongside Rashid Khan, but Shakib has achieved his in 129 matches compared to Rashid's 98 — meaning Rashid's strike rate is superior, but Shakib's longevity at the top level is extraordinary.

What makes Shakib remarkable is that his run-scoring and wicket-taking numbers would individually place him in the elite bracket of players. He averages above 20 with the bat in T20Is and takes wickets at 21.34 — a combination that makes him the genuine all-round package in the shortest format.

His 5/20 remains one of the best bowling figures by any spinner in T20I history, and his ability to operate under pressure in knockout cricket has made him Bangladesh's most relied-upon player across two decades.

Rashid Khan — The Afghan Genius

Rashid Khan is 145 wickets in just 98 matches — and therein lies the argument for him being the most dominant T20I bowler of all time. His average of 13.41 is by far the best among anyone with 100+ T20I wickets. His economy rate of 6.26 means he concedes barely more than a run per ball, and his strike rate of 12.8 means he takes a wicket roughly every 13 deliveries.

These numbers are so far ahead of the rest of the field that they demand a different conversation. Rashid is not just a good T20I bowler — he is statistically the most destructive wicket-taking spinner in the format's history.

His 6/5 against Ireland is one of cricket's most remarkable bowling displays in any format — six wickets in a T20 match at just 5 runs conceded across six wickets. He regularly replicates variations — the googly, the carrom ball, the flat quicker delivery — that have made him the most sought-after T20 franchise bowler in the world.

Rashid plays in the IPL for Gujarat Titans and is one of the highest-paid players in franchise cricket globally. You can explore IPL 2026 bowling stats on our IPL 2026 Stats tracker.

Tim Southee — New Zealand's Seam Bowling Legend

Tim Southee sits third all-time with 143 T20I wickets and is the highest-ranked pace bowler on this list after Lasith Malinga. A right-arm swing bowler who can reverse the ball late in an innings and disrupt powerplays at the top, Southee has been a cornerstone of New Zealand's bowling attack for over 15 years.

His economy rate of 8.10 reflects the reality of bowling seam-up in T20 cricket — pace bowlers almost always concede more than spinners in this format — but his wickets-per-game rate makes him one of the most reliable bowling options New Zealand have had.

Lasith Malinga — The Original Death Bowler

Lasith Malinga's 107 wickets came from just 84 matches, making his strike rate one of the best among pace bowlers all-time. Malinga's round-arm slingy action made him essentially impossible to play conventionally at the death, and he pioneered the use of low full tosses and accurate yorkers as primary weapons rather than variations from a more classical action.

Malinga retired from T20I cricket in 2019 but his influence on how pace bowling is taught and executed in T20 cricket globally is arguably larger than anyone else in the format's history. His four consecutive wickets in the 2007 inaugural World Cup against South Africa remains one of T20 cricket's most iconic moments.

Wanindu Hasaranga — Sri Lanka's Modern Great

Wanindu Hasaranga entered T20I cricket relatively recently but has accumulated 121 wickets in 68 matches at an average of 15.62 — placing him among the most efficient wicket-takers in the format. His 6/5 against Kenya was technically the best bowling figures in T20I history by number of wickets, though the quality of opposition is noted.

Against top international opponents, Hasaranga has also been devastating. His ability to bowl leg-spin, wrong'uns, and top-spinners with near-identical actions has made him one of the most difficult bowlers for batters to read in T20 cricket.

Active Players Pushing Into the Record Books

Jasprit Bumrah has 89 T20I wickets but his economy and average are among the best of any active pace bowler in the format. His role in India's T20 World Cup campaigns has been critical, and with several more years of international cricket ahead, he could push well past 100 wickets.

Shaheen Afridi of Pakistan brings raw pace and swing from over the wicket to left-handers, making him one of the most dangerous T20I opening bowlers in the game. At 92 wickets and only 25 years old in 2026, he is one of the top candidates to move into the all-time top five.

Yuzvendra Chahal of India has been a consistent wicket-taker in T20Is and T20 leagues globally. His 96 wickets place him close to the 100-mark, and he remains an active member of India's T20 setup.

For more bowling terms explained, including economy rate, bowling average, and death overs, visit our cricket glossary.

T20I Bowling Records — Other Milestones

• Best T20I bowling figures: Rashid Khan — 5/3 and 6/5 (Wanindu Hasaranga 6/5 vs Kenya)
• Best T20I bowling economy (min. 50 wickets): Samuel Badree — 5.76
• Most wickets in a single T20 World Cup: Imran Tahir — 11 wickets (2016)
• First bowler to 100 T20I wickets: Shakib Al Hasan
• Best bowling average (min. 100 wickets): Rashid Khan — 13.41

T20 World Cup Bowling Records

The ICC T20 World Cup is the pinnacle of the format. Over the years, several bowlers have defined tournaments with extraordinary performances:

• 2007 (South Africa): Lasith Malinga — four consecutive wickets in one over
• 2016 (India): Imran Tahir — 11 wickets at 7.90 average
• 2021 (UAE): Wanindu Hasaranga — 7 wickets
• 2024 (West Indies/USA): Arshdeep Singh — tournament-leading wickets for India

FAQ

Who has the most wickets in T20 International cricket? Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan are joint all-time leaders with 145 T20I wickets each as of April 2026. Shakib reached the milestone first in terms of career timeline but Rashid achieved it in significantly fewer matches.

Who has the best bowling economy rate in T20 International cricket? Among bowlers with 50+ T20I wickets, Samuel Badree of West Indies holds the best economy rate at 5.76 runs per over. Among those with 100+ wickets, Rashid Khan's economy of 6.26 is the best in history.

Who has taken the most wickets in a single T20 World Cup? Imran Tahir took 11 wickets at the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India, the most by any bowler in a single edition of the tournament. Several bowlers have come close in subsequent editions.

Which T20I bowler has the best strike rate all-time? Rashid Khan holds the best bowling strike rate among bowlers with 100+ T20I wickets, dismissing a batter every 12.8 deliveries on average. His combination of low economy and high strike rate makes him the statistical standout of the T20I bowling era.