Arshdeep becomes first India bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets

Having made his T20I debut in July 2022 against England, Arshdeep has completed 100 wickets in only three years and 74 days. It is the second-quickest for a fast bowler after Bahrain's Rizwan Butt, who reached the milestone in two years and 240 days. No other bowler has completed 100 T20I wickets in under four years.

Arshdeep, however, pipped Butt in terms of balls bowled and matches played for a fast bowler (see graphic below). Overall, Arshdeep is only behind Rashid Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane and Wanindu Hasaranga on that parameter.

In terms of average, Arshdeep's 18.37 is the best for a seamer from a Full Member nation and the third-best behind Butt (16.68) and Oman's left-arm quick Bilal Khan (16.95) overall.

Vinoo Mankad was the first India bowler to reach 100 wickets in Test cricket, getting there in his 23rd Test. In ODIs, Kapil Dev was the first India bowler to bag 100 wickets, getting there in his 77th game in 1986. Arshdeep has reached the 100-wicket mark in his 64th T20I. Among the Full Member sides, only South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe don't have a bowler in the T20Is 100-wicket club.

Arshdeep has picked up 43 wickets in the powerplay in T20Is, averaging 20.06 at an economy of 7.50 in that phase. No other bowler has more wickets than him in powerplays since his debut.

Arshdeep is also very reliable at the death. His 48 wickets in the last four overs are nine more than the next best, Hong Kong offspinner Ehsan Khan. In terms of fast bowlers, next in line after Arshdeep is Pakistan's Haris Rauf.

The surfaces in India have generally been high-scoring in T20I cricket and while Arshdeep's economy at home has suffered, his wicket-taking ability still remains unmatched. Only six fast bowlers have over 20 T20I wickets in India. While Arshdeep (28) is third on the wickets' list, behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar (34) and Hardik Pandya (31), his average of 21.00 is the best among them.

Thirty-eight of Arshdeep's 100 wickets are of left-hand batters, comfortably the highest for any bowler since Arshdeep's debut. In fact, only six other bowlers have more than 20 left-hand batters' wickets in this time frame.

In the powerplay, Arshdeep averages only 13.36 against left-hand batters as compared to 25.37 against right-hand batters. His 19 wickets in the powerplay against left-hand batters are the joint-highest, alongside Tim Southee.

There are seven batters Arshdeep has dismissed three or more time in T20Is. Four of them are left-hand batters, all from the top order. His numbers against Rilee Rossouw stand out. Arshdeep has dismissed Rossouw three times in five balls without conceding a run. Former New Zealand offspinner Nathan McCullum had earlier done that against Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry: 5 balls, 3 dismissals, 0 runs.

The 2024 T20 World Cup has been the most productive competition for Arshdeep so far, bringing him 17 wickets in eight innings. His contribution was overshadowed by Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance, but Arshdeep's economy of 7.16, coupled with an average of 12.64, was vital in India's title run. His nine wickets in the death overs were the joint-highest for any bowler.

He also picked up ten wickets in the 2022 T20 World Cup, becoming the highest wicket-taker for India in both the World Cup editions he has featured in.