Arshdeep Singh Eyes Milestone as India Prepares for T20I Series Against New Zealand
Arshdeep Singh Approaches 150 T20I Wickets
Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh is on the verge of making history as he needs just five more wickets to become the first Indian cricketer to achieve 150 T20I wickets. The five-match series against New Zealand is set to commence this Thursday, with the opening T20I taking place in Christchurch. Despite suffering a shoulder injury during the fourth T20I against the West Indies, Arshdeep participated in the final T20I in Bengaluru, which was ultimately canceled due to rain. He is expected to play a vital role in the Indian squad throughout the series.
Arshdeep's Journey to 150 T20I Wickets
Since making his T20I debut in 2022, Arshdeep has rapidly ascended in the ranks, becoming India's top T20I wicket-taker by the beginning of 2025. Over 99 T20I matches, he has claimed 145 wickets, boasting an impressive average of 20.30, which includes two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul, with his best bowling figures being 5/51.
With only five wickets remaining, Arshdeep is poised to join the elite group of bowlers who have reached the 150-wicket milestone in T20Is, becoming the first Indian to do so. Currently, Rashid Khan holds the record for the most wickets in T20Is, with 197 wickets from 118 matches.
Performance Against New Zealand and Overall Statistics
In his encounters against New Zealand, Arshdeep has taken four wickets across two T20I matches, with his best performance being 4/37, recorded in 2022 at Napier.
Overall, he has secured 17 wickets in 10 matches against the Kiwis, maintaining an average of 20.00, which includes a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul, with his best figures again being 5/51.
In total, Arshdeep has achieved 288 wickets in 223 T20 matches and is just 12 wickets shy of reaching the 300-wicket milestone.
This year, he has taken 35 wickets in 27 T20I matches, averaging 24.68, with an economy rate of 9.20, including a five-wicket haul and best figures of 5/51.
India's T20I Squad
The Indian T20I squad includes: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson [WK], Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.