India's ace pacer Arshdeep Singh scripted an unwanted record by bowling a never ending over during the second T20I against South Africa in New Chandigarh on December 11. It marked the longest over by an Indian in T20I history, measured by the number of balls bowled. The left-arm pacer's over, which was the 11th of the Proteas' innings, embarrassingly lasted 13 balls and was studded with seven wide deliveries, costing a total of 18 runs.
Arshdeep Singh bowls longest over for India in T20Is
This 13-ball over also equals the record for the longest over bowled by a player from a Full-Member nation, matching Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq's effort against Zimbabwe last year. For Arshdeep Singh, this is not his first time featuring in this kind of unwanted record; the 26-year-old had previously bowled a 10-ball over against Ireland during the 2024 T20 World Cup. Prior to Arshdeep's 13-ball over, the previous longest overs bowled by an Indian were 11 balls each, recorded by Khaleel Ahmed (against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2024) and Hardik Pandya (against Australia in Adelaide in 2016).
Longest over by an Indian bowler in T20Is
Arshdeep Singh - 13 balls (18 runs) vs South Africa, New Chandigarh 2025
Khaleel Ahmed - 11 balls (11 runs) vs Sri Lanka, Pallekele 2024
Hardik Pandya - 11 balls (19 runs) vs Australia, Adelaide 2016
Arshdeep Singh - 10 balls (13 runs) vs Ireland, New York 2024
Arshdeep Singh - 10 balls (6 runs) vs West Indies, Tarouba 2023
Longest over by a bowler in T20Is (Full-member nations)
Arshdeep Singh - 13 balls (18 runs) vs South Africa, New Chandigarh 2025
Naveen-ul-Haq - 13 balls (19 runs) vs Zimbabwe, Harare 2024
Sisanda Magala - 12 balls (18 runs) vs Pakistan, Johannesburg 2021
Mark Adair - 11 balls (26 runs) vs Australia, Brisbane 2022
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South Africa rode on Quinton De Kock's lightning 46-ball 90 to post a huge total of 213/4.
India's Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma(w), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh
South Africa's Playing XI
Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram(c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman