Rashid Khan Becomes Youngest Bowler to Take 400 T20 Wickets, Joins Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine in Elite List

Abu Dhabi: Afghanistan's ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan further enhanced his burgeoning reputation in T20 cricket as he picked up his 400th wicket during his team's T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 encounter against New Zealand at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Sunday. Rashid became only the fourth bowler in history to achieve the remarkable feat. The 23-year-old spinner is now the quickest to reach the milestone, he achieved the landmark in his 289th T20 match. Rashid bowled New Zealand opener, Martin Guptill, with a wrong'un in the ninth over of the Black Caps innings, even as the batter tried to go for a slog sweep at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Only three other bowlers have crossed the 400-wicket mark in T20 cricket. Dwayne Bravo, the first to reach the feat in 364 matches, also became the first bowler to cross 500 T20 wickets. The West Indies all-rounder, who has just announced his international retirement from the format, has 553 wickets from 512 matches.

Two other bowlers that followed him to the feat are Imran Tahir (in 320 matches) and Sunil Narine (in 362 matches), both reaching the milestone earlier this year.

Rashid also holds the record for most T20 scalps in a calendar year, having picked a staggering 96 wickets in 2018. His economy rate of 6.34 is the second best behind West Indies' Sunil Narine among bowlers who have played 200 T20 games.

Another landmark 🚩 for @rashidkhan_19

Rashid went through the defences of Martin Guptill to complete his 400 wickets in T20 cricket. Earlier in the tournament, he became the fastest bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is in terms of fewer number innings (53). pic.twitter.com/v0qni4AEBh

Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) November 7, 2021

Earlier in the tournament, Rashid became the fastest bowler to take 100 wickets in T20 Internationals during Afghanistan's Super 12 match against Pakistan. The dismissed batter, on that occasion, was veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez.

Rashid is only the fourth man, after Tim Southee, Shakib Al Hasan and Lasith Malinga, to achieve the milestone of 100 wickets in T20Is.

Most wickets in T20 cricket

553 Dwayne Bravo

425 Sunil Narine

420 Imran Tahir

400 Rashid Khan

398 Shakib Al Hasan

Rashid picked his 100th wicket in only his 53rd match, surpassing Sri Lankan pace legend Lasith Malinga's previous record of reaching the landmark in his 76th game.