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Top 5 Best Bowling Figures For India In T20 World Cup Matches

Arshdeep Singh stole the show for India against USA in 2024 T20 World Cup (x.com)Arshdeep Singh stole the show for India against USA in 2024 T20 World Cup (x.com)

Bowling has played a pivotal role in India’s success in T20 World Cups. From their triumphant run in 2007 to their valiant efforts as runners-up in 2014, coupled with memorable semifinal appearances of 2016 and 2022, it is the bowlers who have often made the most lasting impact for Team India in these high-profile tournaments.

Here at OneCricket, we celebrate some of the biggest bowling stories by unfolding five of the best individual performances in an innings of a T20 World Cup match from Indian bowlers.


Five Best Bowling Figures By Indians In T20 World Cups:


5. Zaheer Khan - 4/19 vs Ireland, 2009 T20 World Cup

Zaheer Khan celebrating an Irish wicket at the 2009 T20 World Cup (AP)Zaheer Khan celebrating an Irish wicket at the 2009 T20 World Cup (AP)

Zaheer Khan decimated Ireland’s top-order with the new-ball during the Group A match of the 2009 T20 World Cup at Nottingham, before returning to have a crack at their tail. The legendary Indian speedster accounted for the first three wickets of Irish innings in his first couple of overs, and eventually finished with figures of 4-19.

Khan’s spell earned him a ‘Player of the Match’ tag, and helped Team India win by eight wickets to secure the top spot on the Group A points table.


4. RP Singh - 4/13 vs South Africa, 2007 T20 World Cup

RP Singh leaping in joy after Shaun Pollock's wicket in 2007 T20 World Cup (x.com)RP Singh leaping in joy after Shaun Pollock's wicket in 2007 T20 World Cup (x.com)

In a virtual quarterfinal of the 2007 T20 World Cup, Indian fast bowler RP Singh consigned hosts South Africa to a tournament-crashing defeat with his magnum opus T20I performance. Defending just 154 runs for a win against an experienced and in-form Proteas batting line-up, the then 21-year-old paceman got the ball swinging at the top to dismiss senior pros Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith.

RP Singh also cleaned up Shaun Pollock and Albie Morkel to finish with figures of 4-13, as Team India marched on to the semifinals.


3. Harbhajan Singh - 4/12 vs England, 2012 T20 World Cup

Harbhajan Singh celebrating an English wicket in the 2012 T20 World Cup (x.com)Harbhajan Singh celebrating an English wicket in the 2012 T20 World Cup (x.com)

India’s 2007 T20 World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh shattered the launch of England’s title-defense in 2012 at Colombo with career-best T20I figures of 4-12. Tasked to bowl after the opening spells of Irfan Pathan, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Ashok Dinda; Harbhajan got rid of dangermen Eoin Morgan, Tim Bresnan and Jos Buttler before removing tailender Graeme Swann.

His spell, coupled with timely breakthroughs from Piyush Chawla and explosive 55* from Rohit Sharma’s helped India mow down the defending champions by 90 runs.


2. Ravichandran Ashwin - 4/11 vs Australia, 2014 T20 World Cup

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrating the downfall of Aaron Finch in 2014 (x.com)Ravichandran Ashwin celebrating the downfall of Aaron Finch in 2014 (x.com)

After Team India amassed 159-7 in the Group 2 game of the 2014 T20 World Cup against Australia at Mirpur, ‘Men in Blue’ spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tore through his opposition’s middle and top order to orchestrate a remarkable win for his team.

In the opening over of his spell itself, the cricketer induced a miscue from Aaron Finch at 13-1. Ashwin’s dexterity later accounted for the sudden match-defining dismissals of David Warner and Glenn Maxwell before getting Australia’s number 10 James Muirhead to finish with figures of 4-11.


1. Arshdeep Singh - 4/9 vs USA, 2024 T20 World Cup

Arshdeep Singh celebrating a USA wicket with Suryakumar Yadav in 2024 T20 World Cup (x.com)Arshdeep Singh celebrating a USA wicket with Suryakumar Yadav in 2024 T20 World Cup (x.com)

Arshdeep Singh recorded India’s best-ever bowling figures in a T20 World Cup match by collecting four wickets against USA in the 2024 edition of the tournament. 

Turning up for his country at New York’s Nassau County Stadium, the new-ball speedster struck twice in his opening over to get the better of USA opener Shayan Jahangir and number three Andries Gous.

Arshdeep also shattered USA’s lower-half with two additional wickets, and conceded just nine runs from his four overs. His spell, backed by some controlled bowling from others restricted the tournament co-hosts to just 110-8 upfront.