Lungi Ngidi Breaks South Africa's T20I Wicket Record

South African pacer Lungi Ngidi has made history by becoming the leading wicket-taker for his country in T20 internationals, surpassing Tabraiz Shamsi. This achievement occurred during a T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe, where Ngidi's performance helped his team significantly. The match saw Zimbabwe struggle initially but recover thanks to captain Sikandar Raza's impressive innings. Discover more about Ngidi's record and the match highlights in this detailed article.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 1, 2026, 17:51 IST

Lungi Ngidi Achieves T20I Milestone

In a remarkable achievement, South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has surpassed Tabraiz Shamsi to become the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in T20 internationals. This milestone was reached during the T20 World Cup Super Eight match against Zimbabwe held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where Ngidi recorded figures of 1 for 29 in four overs.

With a total of 63 T20I matches under his belt, Ngidi has claimed 90 wickets, boasting an impressive average of 20.48. His record includes three instances of taking four wickets in a match and one five-wicket haul, with his best performance being 5 for 39. In comparison, Shamsi has taken 89 wickets in 70 T20Is, averaging 20.89, and has similar achievements with three four-wicket hauls and a five-wicket haul.

During the current T20 World Cup, Ngidi stands out as the second-highest wicket-taker, having secured 12 wickets at an average of 13.75, including one four-wicket haul.

Match Summary

In the match itself, Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat first, struggling to 87 for 5 in just 11.4 overs.

Captain Sikandar Raza played a crucial role, scoring 73 runs off 43 balls, which included eight fours and four sixes, stabilizing the innings as wickets fell around him. His partnership with Clive Mandade, who contributed 26 runs from 20 balls with three fours, helped Zimbabwe finish their innings at 153 for 7 in 20 overs.

For South Africa, young pacers Kwena Mapakha and Corbin Bosch were the standout bowlers, taking 2 for 21 and 2 for 40, respectively.