Kuldeep Yadav achieved a remarkable milestone in the third T20I against West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Guyana as he became the fastest Indian to secure 50 wickets in T20Is based on the number of matches played. Kuldeep accomplished this feat in his 30th T20I appearance for India, surpassing his teammate Yuzvendra Chahal, who had reached 50 T20I wickets in 34 games.
In the realm of full-member players, only Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis (26) and Ireland’s Mark Adair (28) have achieved this milestone at a faster pace than Kuldeep.
Although he had missed the second T20I due to a thumb injury, Kuldeep made a strong return, claiming three wickets while conceding only 28 runs in his allotted four overs during the third T20I match.
Kuldeep has also etched his name as India’s top wicket-taker against West Indies in T20Is, surpassing veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvneshwar previously held the record with 13 wickets, but Kuldeep’s exceptional performance has elevated him to the forefront with 15 wickets in just seven T20Is, boasting an impressive average of 12.26 against West Indies.
In his T20I career, Kuldeep has amassed 50 wickets from 30 matches, maintaining an economy rate of 6.70. His bowling average of 14.28 in T20Is stands out as the best among full-member players, underscoring his prowess as a key asset in India’s bowling lineup.