The shortest format of cricket has given bowlers the opportunity to introduce new variations into their bowling. These modern variations have certainly helped bowlers take more wickets in T20s. The first T20 World Cup was played in 2007. A total of nine T20 World Cups have been held so far. The 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup will be the 10th edition of the tournament. This tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
In this article, we will take a look at the top six players with the most wickets in the history of the T20 World Cup.
| Rank | Player | Team | Wickets | Matches | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shakib Al Hasan | Bangladesh | 50 | 43 | 4/9 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 39 | 34 | 4/11 |
| 3 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 38 | 31 | 5/31 |
| 4 | Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | 37 | 19 | 3/8 |
| 5 | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 37 | 23 | 4/9 |
5. Rashid Khan
Afghanistan has surprised everyone in its early days in international cricket, and leg-spinner Rashid Khan has played a crucial role in this. He has made a significant impact with his bowling in almost every country he has played in, and has taken 37 wickets in 23 matches in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. His best bowling performance in the tournament's history was 4/9 against Scotland in the 2021 edition.
4. Wanindu Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga is playing a crucial role in restoring Sri Lanka's former glory, making the team a formidable force, especially in major tournaments. Hasaranga has taken 37 wickets in just 19 matches in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The leg-spinner is a consistently high-performing player, and his best bowling performance in the tournament came in 2022 against the UAE, where he took 3/8.
3. Lasith Malinga
Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga is considered one of the greatest limited-overs bowlers of all time. He took a total of 38 wickets in 31 matches, with an economy rate of 7.43. His bowling average in the tournament was 20.07 and his strike rate was 16.21. He captained the Sri Lankan team that won the 2014 T20 World Cup. His best bowling performance in his T20 World Cup career was 5/31, which he achieved against England in 2012.
2. Shahid Afridi
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi took 39 wickets in 34 matches at an economy rate of 6.71 in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. His bowling average in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup was 23.25 and his strike rate was 20.76. Afridi participated in six T20 World Cups for Pakistan (2007-2016). His best bowling performance in the T20 World Cup was 4/11, which he achieved against the Netherlands in the 2009 edition.
Shahid Afridi played a crucial role in Pakistan's victory in the 2009 T20 World Cup, scoring a brilliant 54 runs off 40 balls and taking a wicket in the final, for which he was awarded the Player of the Match. He was also the first player to win the Player of the Tournament award in the history of the tournament, when Pakistan finished as runners-up in the inaugural edition in 2007.
1. Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh legend Shakib Al Hasan currently tops the list of highest wicket-takers in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He has taken 50 wickets in 43 matches with an economy rate of 6.86. His best bowling performance came against Papua New Guinea in the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he delivered a superb spell of 4/9, helping Bangladesh secure a comfortable victory.
Also Read: Top 5 player with the most runs in the ICC Men T20 World Cup
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