Afghanistan beats the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 38 runs in a tri-series T20I match in Sharjah with a score of 3-21 in his four-overs. On Monday, September 1 the United Arab Emirates sent Afghanistan into bat on the third match of the tri-series. They won 188-4 in their 20 overs and then kept the opposition at 150-8.
Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammad Nabi contributed one wicket each, while leg-spinner Rashid and left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf each took three. Rashid knocked Asif Khan down for one after first trapping Ethan D’Souza lbw for 12. The Afghanistan captain made history by taking the most wickets in Twenty20 Internationals with the dismissal of Dhruv Parashar (1).
We examine the top five wicket-takers in T20I cricket in the wake of Rashid’s historic performance against the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
5. Mustafizur Rahman
Mustafizur Rahman is a veteran left-arm pacer of Bangladesh and also the sixth-ranked bowler with the highest number of wickets in Twenty20 Internation matches. In 113 games he has collected 142 wickets at a rate of economy of 7.30 and average of 20.84. The 29 year old has recorded three four-fers and two five-fers in T20Is.
In May 2024, Mustafizur defeated the USA in Prairie View with a high score of 6–10. The USA was restricted to 104-9 in 20 overs thanks to his outstanding bowling performance. With all ten wickets in hand, Bangladesh knocked down the mark in 11.4 overs. In the 2016 T20 World Cup Super 10 encounter in Kolkata, the left-armer also claimed 5–22 against New Zealand. However, the Kiwis prevailed by a margin of 75 runs.
4. Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan was one of the best all-rounders in Bangladesh and he had 149 wickets in 129 matches. He maintained a steady bowling average of 20.91, and a very high economy rate of 6.81. Over the years he had many spells that would win a match, six four-fers and two five-wicket hauls.
His best was against West Indies in Dhaka in December 2018 where he took 5/20 and won the match with a 42* off 26 balls to be named Player of the Match. Another of his highlights was in March 2023 when he collected 5/22 against Ireland in Chattogram, and Bangladesh won the game by 77 runs.
3. Ish Sodhi
Ish Sodhi, a New Zealand leg-spinner, is an unexpected addition to the list. In 126 games, the 32-year-old has taken precisely 150 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 and an average of 22.52. In his T20I career, Sodhi has claimed four four-fers.
In July 2025, the Kiwi spinner recorded his best statistics of 4-12 against Zimbabwe in Harare, which New Zealand won by 60 runs. In his T20I career, Sodhi has remarkably recorded identical numbers of 4-28 against Australia in Christchurch in February 2021, Bangladesh in Hamilton in March 2021, and Scotland in Edinburgh in July 2022.
2. Tim Southee
Tim Southee, who has been a former New Zealand pacer, comes second in a list of bowlers with the most wickets in the Twenty20 International format. Southee scored 164 wickets in 126 matches at an average of 22.38 and an economy rate of eight. He got two five-fers and two four-fers during his career as a T20I player.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Average | BBI | Economy | 5w | 4w |
| Rashid Khan | 98 | 165 | 13.75 | 5-3 | 6.07 | 2 | 8 |
| Tim Southee | 126 | 164 | 22.38 | 5-18 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
| Ish Sodhi | 126 | 150 | 22.52 | 4-12 | 7.95 | 0 | 4 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | 129 | 149 | 20.91 | 5-20 | 6.81 | 2 | 6 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | 113 | 142 | 20.84 | 6-10 | 7.30 | 2 | 3 |
Southee registered their highest ever scores of 518 versus Pakistan in Auckland in December 2010. Five wickets gave the Kiwis the victory and he was declared the Player of the Match. The United Arab Emirates also lost 5-25 to the Kiwi legend in Dubai in August 2023. He made heroic attempts that made New Zealand win by 19 runs.
1. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan, is currently the top wicket-taker in the Twenty20 International format. The 26-year-old has taken 165 wickets at an economy rate of 6.07 and an average of 13.75 in just 98 games. In the T20I format, Rashid has amassed eight four-fers and two five-fers.
The experienced leg-spinner’s best of 5-3 came in just two overs against Ireland at Greater Noida in March 2017. Afghanistan won by 17 runs [DLS method] as a consequence of his valiant efforts. Rashid also claimed 5-27 as Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 32 runs in Dehradun in February 2019.
