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Shaheen Afridi wrecks South Africa! Most wickets in first over of T20I matches

Aakash Saini

Most wickets in first overs of T20Is [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x, AFP, @parasVK/x]Most wickets in first overs of T20Is [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x, AFP, @parasVK/x]

Shaheen Afridi once again made full use of the new ball for Pakistan, this time wrecking South Africa’s famed top-order in Lahore. The speedster struck with two big wickets early in the innings as Pakistan seized early control in the series decider.

Extending his tally and re-establishing himself as the game’s most elite first-over bowler, here is a look at five cricketers with the highest number of wickets to their names in first overs of T20I matches.

5. Angelo Mathews – 14 wickets

Angelo Mathews picked up 14 wickets with the new ball to account for nearly a third of his T20I career wickets overall. The Sri Lankan right-arm medium pacer first demonstrated his new ball excellence back in June 2009 in the second semifinal of the 2009 T20 World Cup. Less than two weeks after making his format debut for Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews knocked over Xavier Marshall, Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Bravo; all for ducks in the opening over to storm his side into the finals.

Overall, Mathews picked up his 14 first over wickets in 39 innings and maintained an impressive economy rate of 5.62.

4. Tim Southee – 16 wickets

Apart from being T20I cricket’s most successful fast bowler of all time with 164 sticks, Tim Southee is also one of the leading troublemakers with the new ball, especially in the game’s first overs. The legendary New Zealand paceman has clipped 16 wickets in the first over of T20Is out of 55 innings, and has maintained a tight economy rate of six runs an over. Tim Southee played 126 T20I matches in his career between the years 2008 and 2024, picking up 164 wickets in the process at an average of 22.38 and a strike rate of 16.78.


3. Fazalhaq Farooqi – 16 wickets

Statistically, Afghanistan fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi holds the best record with the new ball in T20Is. In just 43 innings, the speedster has snapped 16 wickets with a tight economy rate of 5.47. Farooqi is also one of those bowlers who is equally proficient with the old ball in the slog overs, as the cricketer holds an overall collection of 61 scalps from 50 T20I innings at a bowling average of 19.95 and with an economy rate of less than seven. Farooqi was also one of the architects of Afghanistan’s historic semifinal campaign in last year’s 2024 T20 World Cup.

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 18 wickets

Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has snared 18 wickets from 74 innings in the first overs of T20I cricket. Perhaps the most memorable of those 18 wickets would be his first in Team India colors, back in December 2012 when he knocked over Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed with a scorching inswinger. He also holds the best economy rate in first overs among all bowlers on this list, that of just 5.01 runs per over upfront. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds a prolific record with the ball in 20 overs matches, he played the last of his 87 T20Is for India back in November 2022.

1. Shaheen Afridi – 24 wickets

Pakistan pace maverick Shaheen Afridi holds a penchant of making the new ball talk to set the tone for his team. In the 93 T20I matches he has played for Pakistan, Shaheen has been asked to bowl the first over of an innings on 75 occasions. The speedster also tends to make full use of his new ball advantage, considering he has picked up 24 wickets and has maintained a controlled economy of 5.86.

In the game against South Africa on November 1, 2025 in Lahore; Shaheen Afridi once again demonstrated his new ball dexterity by getting two early wickets in the opening over of the match.