Bhuvneshwar Kumar Achieves 350 T20 Wickets Milestone in IPL Match
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Reaches 350 Wickets in T20s
On Thursday, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a seasoned pace bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), made history by becoming the first fast bowler and the second Indian overall to achieve 350 wickets in T20 cricket. This remarkable feat occurred during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad. While defending a total of 156 runs, Bhuvneshwar excelled with figures of 3 wickets for 28 runs in four overs, despite Josh Hazlewood facing challenges from the other end.
Bhuvneshwar's Impressive Career Stats
Throughout his T20 career, Bhuvneshwar has participated in 325 matches, claiming 352 wickets at an average of 24.51. His achievements include five four-wicket hauls and five five-wicket hauls, with his best performance being 5 wickets for just 4 runs. The only Indian bowler with more T20 wickets is spinner Yuzi Chahal, who has 391 wickets in 337 matches.
In the current IPL season, Bhuvneshwar has been in outstanding form, taking 17 wickets in nine matches at an average of 15.52 and an economy rate of 7.54, with his best figures being 3/5. He currently leads the wicket-takers this season.
In the IPL, he has played 199 matches, securing 215 wickets at an average of 26.40, including two four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls, with his best figures being 5/19. This places him as the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL history, trailing only Chahal.
Match Summary: GT vs RCB
In the match, Gujarat Titans chose to bowl first. Virat Kohli provided a strong start for RCB, scoring 28 runs off 13 balls, including five boundaries against Kagiso Rabada, who finished with figures of 1/44. However, RCB struggled to maintain momentum due to impressive bowling performances from Arshad Khan (3/22), Rashid Khan (2/19), and Jason Holder (2/29), leading to regular loss of wickets. Devdutt Padikkal was the top scorer for RCB with 40 runs off 24 balls, helping the team reach a total of 155 runs in 19.2 overs.
During the chase, quick contributions from skipper Shubman Gill (43 runs off 18 balls) and Jos Buttler (39 runs off 19 balls) initially propelled GT forward. However, after losing their top three batsmen at a score of 92, GT found themselves at 111/5. Rahul Tewatia, with a steady 27 runs off 17 balls, helped secure GT's fifth victory of the season, placing them fifth in the standings. Meanwhile, RCB remains in second place, having faced their third defeat in nine matches.