Top 10 Wicket Takers in T20 Cricket (2026): Full List, First Wicket and India’s Best

Top 10 Wicket Takers in T20 Cricket ?

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan leads the men’s T20 International (T20I) list with 197 wickets. England’s Adil Rashid sits second with 171. New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman follow close behind.

This guide gives you the full list, the first T20I wicket-taker, India’s best bowlers and the names who could climb next. Every figure was checked against public records in October 2026.

Top 10 Wicket Takers in T20 Cricket: Quick Answer

These are men’s T20I wickets. Most of these bowlers still play, so their totals change every series. Figures come from record and profile pages updated between June and September 2026. Always check the live ESPNcricinfo table before you quote a number.

T20I Wickets vs All T20 Wickets: What Is the Difference?

People mix up two different records. A T20I wicket comes in a match between two national teams. An all-T20 wicket also counts leagues such as the IPL, BBL and PSL.

Rashid Khan shows the gap clearly. He has 197 T20I wickets, but 740 wickets in all T20 cricket. This article covers T20Is, because that record is official and easy to compare. You can check every total on Wikipedia’s list of Twenty20 International records.

The Top 10 Bowlers Explained

1. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): 197 Wickets

Rashid is the clear leader. He debuted in October 2015 and has taken 197 wickets in 118 innings. His average is about 13.7 and his economy is about 6.0. Both numbers are elite.

His best figures are 5/3 against Ireland in 2017. He took that five-for in just two overs. He also reached 100 T20I wickets faster than any other bowler, in 53 matches.

2. Adil Rashid (England): 171 Wickets

Adil is England’s most prolific T20I bowler. The leg-spinner debuted in June 2009 and played his latest T20I on 19 September 2026. He turned 38 in February 2026, yet he keeps taking wickets. His best figures are 4/2.

3. Ish Sodhi (New Zealand): 165 Wickets

Sodhi passed Tim Southee on 2 May 2026. That made him New Zealand’s top T20I wicket-taker. He is a leg-spinner with best figures of 4/12. His economy is higher than most spinners on this list, but he takes wickets steadily.

4. Tim Southee (New Zealand): 164 Wickets

Southee is the best fast bowler on the list. He took 164 wickets in 126 matches between 2008 and 2024. His best figures are 5/18. For years he held the world record before Rashid Khan passed him in September 2025.

5. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): 161 Wickets

Hasaranga is the fastest riser. He reached 150 wickets in fewer balls than Rashid Khan, 2,035 against 2,098. Sri Lanka’s leg-spinner has taken 161 wickets in 96 innings.

6. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh): 160 Wickets

The left-arm pacer is famous for his cutters. His best figures are 6/10. He played his latest T20I in June 2026, so he could still move up.

7. Adam Zampa (Australia): 153 Wickets

Zampa is Australia’s top T20I wicket-taker. The leg-spinner took his 100th wicket in only 83 matches. His best figures are 5/19.

8. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh): 149 Wickets

Shakib is the leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history, with 50 wickets. His best figures are 5/20.

9. Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): 142 Wickets

The left-arm spinner plays a key role for New Zealand. He took part in the 2026 T20 World Cup run to the final.

10. Mark Adair (Ireland): 142 Wickets

Adair became the first Irishman to take 100 T20I wickets in December 2023. He is level with Santner on 142, so this tenth place is a tie.

Spin or Pace: Who Takes the Most T20 Wickets?

Spin rules this list. Seven of the top 10 are spinners: Rashid Khan, Adil Rashid, Ish Sodhi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Adam Zampa, Shakib Al Hasan and Mitchell Santner.

Only three fast bowlers made it: Tim Southee, Mustafizur Rahman and Mark Adair. Spinners bowl in the middle overs, when batters take risks. That gives them more chances to take wickets.

• Top spinner: Rashid Khan of Afghanistan leads all bowlers with 197 wickets.
• Top fast bowler: Tim Southee of New Zealand leads the pacers with 164 wickets. Mustafizur Rahman is four wickets behind him and still active, so he could take that title.

India is different. Its top three wicket takers are Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, and all three are seamers.

Who Took the First Wicket in T20 International Cricket?

Daryl Tuffey of New Zealand took the first wicket in men’s T20I history. He dismissed Australia’s Michael Clarke for 7. Clarke was caught by Craig McMillan.

The match took place at Eden Park, Auckland, on 17 February 2005. Australia batted first and scored 214/5. Ricky Ponting hit 98 not out and won Player of the Match. Australia won by 44 runs. See the full ESPNcricinfo scorecard.

That game was a fun, one-off event. Players wore retro kits and some wore fake moustaches. Few people guessed how big the format would become.

India’s Top T20I Wicket Takers

India has no bowler in the global top 10 yet. Still, the Indian list is strong. These figures come from Wikipedia’s India T20I records, updated on 11 July 2026.

Key facts about India’s bowlers:

• Arshdeep Singh is the first Indian to reach 100 T20I wickets.
• Jasprit Bumrah has the best economy among today’s Indian regulars at 6.51.
• Kuldeep Yadav has the best average (13.74) and strike rate (11.86) for India.
• Deepak Chahar owns India’s best figures, 6/7 against Bangladesh in 2019. He also took India’s only T20I hat-trick.
• Yuzvendra Chahal has the second-best figures, 6/25 against England.

Arshdeep and Bumrah have played since July, so their totals are now slightly higher.

Arshdeep Singh: India’s Wicket Leader

Arshdeep has 135 wickets in 91 matches since 2022. He was the joint-top wicket-taker at the 2024 T20 World Cup with 17 wickets. His best figures are 5/51 against New Zealand in January 2026.

Jasprit Bumrah: The Economy King

Bumrah has 121 wickets in 95 matches at an average of 18.08. His economy of 6.51 is the best among India’s current regulars. He took 14 wickets at the 2026 T20 World Cup, including four in the final against New Zealand.

Kuldeep Yadav: The Fastest Wicket Machine

Kuldeep has 95 wickets in only 54 matches. His strike rate of 11.86 is the best of any Indian bowler. He took 17 wickets at the 2025 Asia Cup, the joint-most by an Indian in one series, level with Arshdeep’s 2024 mark.

Varun Chakravarthy: The Mystery Spinner

Varun has 74 wickets in 48 matches. He shared the top spot at the 2026 T20 World Cup with 14 wickets. He also took 5/17 against South Africa in November 2024.

Yuzvendra Chahal: The Former Leader

Chahal has 96 wickets in 80 matches. He held India’s wicket record before Arshdeep passed him. His 6/25 against England in 2017 is still India’s second-best T20I spell.

Why Is No Indian in the Top 10?

The cut-off for tenth place is 142 wickets. Arshdeep Singh had 135 in July. He was about seven wickets short at that point.

He is also still playing, so he can close that gap. India rotates a deep bowling group, and that spreads wickets across many names.

Who Can Become the Next T20 Wicket-Taking Leader?

This part is analysis, not a confirmed record. Rashid Khan leads second place by 26 wickets. That is a big gap in T20I cricket.

Here are the bowlers with the best chance to challenge the top spot:

• Adil Rashid. He is the closest rival and is still active. Age is his biggest limit.
• Wanindu Hasaranga. He takes wickets faster than most. He needs steady Sri Lanka selection.
• Ish Sodhi and Mustafizur Rahman. Both sit within 11 wickets of second place.
• Arshdeep Singh. He is the best Indian candidate for a top-10 spot soon.

Rashid Khan will probably stay first for a long time. The more interesting race is for second place.

What Happened at the 2026 T20 World Cup?

India won the 2026 T20 World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy finished as joint leading wicket-takers with 14 wickets each. Bumrah took four wickets in the final against New Zealand.

T20 Wicket-Taking Records Every Fan Should Know

The top 10 wicket takers in T20 cricket hold some big milestones. Here are the key records from the men’s T20I books.

• Fastest to 100 wickets: Rashid Khan, in 53 matches.
• Fewest balls to 150 wickets: Wanindu Hasaranga, in 2,035 balls. Rashid Khan took 2,098.
• Most wickets at T20 World Cups: Shakib Al Hasan, with 50.
• Most wickets in one T20 World Cup: Arshdeep Singh and Fazalhaq Farooqi, with 17 each in 2024.
• Best figures at a T20 World Cup: Ajantha Mendis, 6/8.
• Best figures in any T20I: Sonam Yeshey of Bhutan, 8/7 against Myanmar in December 2025.
• Most T20I wickets in a calendar year: Ali Dawood of Bahrain, 63 in 2025.

T20 World Cup Wicket Takers: 2024 vs 2026

World Cups show who takes wickets under pressure. Here is how the last two tournaments compare.

• 2026 (India and Sri Lanka): India won the title for the third time, after 2007 and 2024. Jasprit Bumrah (14 wickets in 8 matches) and Varun Chakravarthy (14 in 9 matches) finished as joint leaders.
• The final: Bumrah took four wickets against New Zealand. That lifted him to the top of the list.
• The surprise name: USA’s Shadley van Schalkwyk led the table during the group stage. He took a four-wicket haul in each of his first two matches, including 4/25 against Pakistan, and had 13 wickets at that point.
• 2024 (USA and West Indies): Arshdeep Singh and Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi both took 17 wickets, the most in a single World Cup.
• A milestone: Rashid Khan became the first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets during the 2026 tournament, in Afghanistan’s match against UAE on 16 February.

The lesson is simple. Different bowlers lead in different tournaments, but Bumrah and Arshdeep have topped the list in both of India’s recent title runs.

Final Verdict: Rashid Khan Leads, but the Race Is Open

The top 10 wicket takers in T20 cricket are led by Rashid Khan, who stands far ahead with 197 wickets. Adil Rashid, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Wanindu Hasaranga chase him. India’s Arshdeep Singh leads his country with 135 and could join the top 10 soon.

Bookmark this page and check back after each major series. The race for second place is the one to watch.

Want more cricket stats? Read our guides on the best cricketer in the world, the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket and the top 10 wicket takers in Test cricket.