Sonam Yeshey registered the best bowling figure in T20I history with his incredible 8/7 against Myanmar. His spell stands at the top of the record list and remains unmatched. Over the years, bowlers like Syazrul Idrus, Ali Dawood, and Harsha Bharadwaj have also delivered match-winning performances in T20Is.
Interestingly, among the top 10 bowling figures, only two are from Test-playing nations: Deepak Chahar and Ajantha Mendis. The rest of the list is dominated by players from Associate nations, showing that talent exists everywhere. Follow for more simple and interesting cricket records and stats.
Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in T20I Cricket
Here is the list of the top 10 best bowling figures in T20I cricket.
| Player | Overs | Figure | Economy | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonam Yeshey (Bhutan) | 4 | 8/7 | 1.75 | v Myanmar | Gelephu |
| Syazrul Idrus (Malaysia) | 4 | 7/8 | 2 | v China | Kuala Lumpur |
| Ali Dawood (Bahrain) | 4 | 7/19 | 4.75 | v Bhutan | Gelephu |
| Harsha Bharadwaj (Singapore) | 4 | 6/3 | 0.75 | v Mongolia | Bangi |
| Peter Aho (Nigeria) | 3.4 | 6/5 | 1.36 | v Sierra Leone | Lagos |
| Deepak Chahar (India) | 3.2 | 6/7 | 2.1 | v Bangladesh | Nagpur |
| Dinesh Nakrani (Uganda) | 4 | 6/7 | 1.75 | v Lesotho | Kigali |
| Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) | 4 | 6/8 | 2 | v Zimbabwe | Hambantota |
| Moazzam Baig (Malawi) | 4 | 6/9 | 2.25 | v Rwanda | Benoni |
| Rizwan Butt (Bahrain) | 3.5 | 6/9 | 2.34 | v Malawi | Blantyre |
1. Sonam Yeshey: 8/7 Against Myanmar
Bhutan secured a dominant victory after defending 127/9 in 20 overs, and the match was completely defined by Sonam Yeshey’s record-breaking spell of 8/7. Chasing 128, Myanmar collapsed under pressure as Yeshey delivered the finest bowling performance in T20I history.
Bowling four overs, he claimed a stunning 8 wickets for just 7 runs, including a maiden, dismantling the top and middle order almost single-handedly. His spell reduced Myanmar from 21/1 to a shocking 45 all out in just 9.2 overs.
Sonam Yeshey T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 34 | 38 | 5.55 | 18.4 | 8/7 | 1 |
2. Syazrul Idrus: 7/8 Against China
China endured a nightmare after being bowled out for just 23 in 11.2 overs, with as many as six batters dismissed for zero in the first innings. The collapse was engineered by Syazrul Idrus, who produced a devastating spell of 7 wickets for just 8 runs in four overs.
Bowling in the first innings, he ripped through the top and middle order, reducing China from 12/0 to 20/9 in dramatic fashion. Malaysia comfortably reached 24/2 in 4.5 overs, sealing an eight-wicket victory.
Syazrul Idrus T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 31 | 51 | 7.02 | 11.4 | 7/8 | 1 |
3. Ali Dawood: 7/19 Against Bhutan
Bahrain set a strong total of 160/4 in 20 overs, led by Asif Ali’s brilliant 72. But the real game-changer came in the second innings through Ali Dawood’s sensational spell.
Defending 161, Dawood tore apart Bhutan’s batting lineup with outstanding figures of 7/19 in four overs. Bowling during the chase, he triggered a massive collapse and never allowed Bhutan to build momentum. Bhutan was restricted to 125/9 in 20 overs and comfortably secured a 35-run victory.
Ali Dawood T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 70 | 104 | 6.21 | 14.4 | 7/19 | 1 |
4. Harsha Bharadwaj: 6/3 Against Mongolia
Mongolia suffered a historic collapse after being bowled out for just 10 runs in 10 overs, the 2nd-lowest total in T20I cricket. The destruction came in the first innings when Harsha claimed 6 wickets for just 3 runs in four overs, including two maidens.
His accuracy left Mongolia reeling at 4/5, and they never recovered. Chasing just 11, Singapore comfortably reached 13/1 in only 0.5 overs, sealing a dominant nine-wicket victory, with Bharadwaj’s six-wicket haul standing as the decisive performance.
Harsha Bharadwaj T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 12 | 18 | 5.2 | 15 | 6/3 | 1 |
5. Peter Aho: 6/5 Against Sierra Leone
Nigeria were bowled out for 90 in 17.4 overs, but the match turned dramatically in the second innings thanks to Peter Aho’s outstanding spell. Defending a modest target of 91, Aho took 6 wickets for just 5 runs in 3.4 overs, helping his team to defend the lowest ever score in T20I cricket.
Bowling in the chase, he ripped through Sierra Leone’s top and middle order, reducing them to 7/4 early on and never allowing recovery. Nigeria sealed a convincing 19-run victory, with Aho’s six-wicket haul proving completely decisive.
Peter Aho T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 61 | 67 | 6.03 | 16.6 | 6/5 | 1 |
6. Deepak Chahar: 6/7 Against Bangladesh
Deepak Chahar tore through Bangladesh’s batting lineup with remarkable figures of 6 wickets for just 7 runs in 3.2 overs. Chahar also claimed a stunning hat-trick, becoming the first Indian cricketer to take a hat-trick in T20 internationals.
His spell dismantled the chase just as Mohammad Naim was threatening to shift momentum. Bangladesh were bowled out for 144, handing India a convincing 30-run victory, powered by Chahar’s unforgettable spell.
Deepak Chahar T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 25 | 31 | 8.3 | 17.4 | 6/7 | 1 |
7. Dinesh Nakrani: 6/7 Against Lesotho
Dinesh Nakrani delivered an outstanding bowling performance against Lesotho. He took 6 wickets for just 7 runs in his four overs. Bowling in the first innings, he struck early and did not allow the batters to settle.
Lesotho quickly collapsed to 13/6 within six overs. Nakrani kept tight control and bowled with great accuracy. The team was finally bowled out for only 26 runs in 12.4 overs. Chasing a very small target, Uganda played with confidence. They scored 27 runs in just 3.4 overs without losing a wicket. Uganda won the match easily by 10 wickets as Nakrani’s spell completely changed the game.
Dinesh Nakrani T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | 76 | 96 | 5.68 | 16.1 | 6/7 | 2 |
8. Ajantha Mendis: 6/8 Against Zimbabwe
Ajantha Mendis delivered a brilliant bowling performance against Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka first scored a strong 182/4. Zimbabwe needed a good start, but the match changed when Mendis took 6/8. He took two wickets in one over and put pressure on the batters.
He bowled with great control and sharp spin. Zimbabwe could not build partnerships and kept losing wickets. They fell from 37/1 to 58/5 very quickly. In the end, Zimbabwe were all out for 100. Sri Lanka won the match by 82 runs. Mendis’ six wickets decided the game.
Ajantja Mendis T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 39 | 66 | 6.45 | 13.4 | 6/8 | 2 |
9. Moazzam Baig: 6/9 Against Rwanda
Moazzam Baig took 6/9 in four overs against Rwanda, completely changing the match. He bowled in the second innings after Malawi scored 135/7 in 20 overs. Rwanda started well, but Baig struck at the right time. He removed important batters quickly and stopped the run flow.
Rwanda fell from 52/1 to 60/4 in a short time. Baig kept bowling tight lines and attacking the stumps. His spell broke the middle order, and Rwanda could not recover. They finished on 89/9 in 20 overs. Malawi won the match by 46 runs. Baig’s six wickets made the difference.
Moozzam Baig T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 43 | 68 | 4.89 | 13.1 | 6/9 | 3 |
10. Rizwan Butt: 6/9 Malawi
Rizwan Butt took 6/9 in just 3.5 overs against Malawi and led his team to a big win. Bowling in the first innings, he attacked from the start with pace and accuracy. Malawi kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They quickly fell from 39/2 to 41/4 under pressure.
Butt also cleaned up the lower order with ease. Malawi was bowled out for only 72 runs in 14.5 overs. Chasing a small target, Bahrain played fearless cricket. They scored 76/0 in just 6.5 overs. Bahrain won the match by 10 wickets, thanks to Butt’s brilliant spell.
Rizwan Butt T20I Stats
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 85 | 132 | 6.82 | 14 | 6/9 | 4 |
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Conclusion: Sonam Yeshey Took 8/7, The Best Bowling Figure In T20I
Sonam Yeshey’s 8/7 remains the greatest bowling figure in T20I history. His spell proved how one bowler can completely change a match in just four overs. Alongside him, names like Deepak Chahar and Ajantha Mendis show that both Associate and Full Member nations have produced special performances. Which bowler will join this elite list next?
