Arshdeep Singh set to overtake Haris Rauf's T20I record

Chennai: Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh is on the brink of making history as he approaches the opportunity to overtake Pakistan's Haris Rauf's T20I record.

The Men in Blue are set to face England in the second T20I today, and if Arshdeep takes at least three wickets, he will become the fastest fast bowler to reach 100 wickets in the 20-over format.

Currently, the left-arm pacer has 97 wickets from 61 T20Is, and if he manages to claim three more wickets in today’s match, he will surpass Rauf’s record. 

The Pakistani pacer achieved his 100th T20I wicket in just 71 matches, a feat that has set a benchmark for fast bowlers in the shortest format of the game.

Fastest to 100 wickets in T20Is (Pacers):

• Haris Rauf (Pakistan) – 71 matches
• Mark Adair (Ireland) – 72 matches
• Bilal Khan (Oman) – 72 matches
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) – 74 matches
• Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 76 matches
• Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 81 matches

Fastest to 100 wickets in T20Is (Overall):

• Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 53 matches
• Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) – 54 matches
• Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) – 63 matches
• Haris Rauf (Pakistan) – 71 matches
• Ehsan Khan (Hong Kong) – 71 matches

In the opening match of the series, played at Eden Gardens on January 22, Arshdeep took two crucial wickets, which helped him surpass Yuzvendra Chahal's record of 96 wickets, making him India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is. 

Chahal, who last played a T20I against the West Indies in August 2023, holds a record of 96 wickets from 80 matches.

For the unversed, India emerged victorious in the series opener, defeating England by seven wickets in Kolkata on January 22. 

England was dismissed for just 132, and India successfully chased the target in just 12.5 overs, setting the stage for an exciting second T20I clash.