New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee became the first New Zealand bowler to pick up 100 wickets in T20I format. The 32-year-old pacer achieved the feat in New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign opener against Pakistan. Opener Babar Azam became Southee’s 100th victim in his 84th T20I. The veteran Kiwi pacer got Azam’s wicket in the sixth over of Pakistan’s run chase.
Third on the list
Southee is at number three in the list of most wickets taken by a bowler in T20Is. At the top is Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan who has taken 117 wickets in 92 matches. Shakib achieved the feat in the preliminary stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup. The left-arm spinner is followed by former Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga who has 107 dismissals in 84 matches from his 14-year T20I career between 2006 and 2020. After Southee, Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan in the fourth position and is just one wicket away from reaching the landmark of 100 T20I wickets. Rashid took four wickets in Afghanistan’s first match of the tournament against Scotland on October 25.
100 wickets in 84 matches
Southee has been New Zealand’s frontline T20I bowler and has produced a few match-winning spells since he made his debut in 2008. He has an economy rate of 8.34 which has recently improved. The right- arm pacer’s best bowling figures came against Pakistan in 2010. Southee is known for taking big wickets to reach milestones. Interestingly in ODIs, his 100th scalp was Indian captain Virat Kohli.
