Since the Asia Cup started using the T20 format in 2016, some bowlers have really risen to the occasion. T20 is often thought of as a batsman’s game but these 5 bowlers have shown that smart bowling can win games. Here are the top 5 wicket takers in Asia Cup T20 history, ranked by wickets, how good they were and how they performed in different years.
Most wickets in T20 Asia Cup:
| Player | Mat | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B Kumar (IND) | 6 | 13 | 5/4 | 9.46 | 5.34 | 10.61 |
| Amjad Javed (UAE) | 7 | 12 | 3/25 | 14.08 | 7.34 | 11.50 |
| Mohammad Naveed (UAE) | 7 | 11 | 3/14 | 13.18 | 5.24 | 15.09 |
| Rashid Khan (AFG) | 8 | 11 | 3/22 | 18.36 | 6.51 | 16.90 |
| HH Pandya (IND) | 8 | 11 | 3/8 | 18.81 | 7.01 | 16.09 |
| Al-Amin Hossain (BAN) | 5 | 11 | 3/25 | 12.18 | 7.96 | 9.18 |
| PW Hasaranga (SL) | 6 | 9 | 3/21 | 18.88 | 7.39 | 15.33 |
| Shadab Khan (PAK) | 5 | 8 | 4/8 | 14.12 | 6.05 | 14.00 |
| Mohammad Nawaz (PAK) | 8 | 8 | 3/5 | 21.75 | 7.05 | 18.50 |
| Haris Rauf (PAK) | 6 | 8 | 3/29 | 19.12 | 7.65 | 15.00 |
1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) – 13 Wickets
Bhuvneshwar Kumar from India is at the top with 13 wickets from 6 games between 2016 and 2022. He’s known for how well he swings the ball early on and how he handles pressure. Kumar’s best was 5/4, which was an amazing spell that destroyed the other team. His average is 9.46 and economy is 5.34 which shows how consistent and good he is at winning games. He’s also the only bowler with a five wicket haul in Asia Cup T20 history.
2. Amjad Javed (UAE) – 12 Wickets
Amjad Javed is a surprise in the top 5. He played well for UAE in 2016. Even though he played only one tournament, he got 12 wickets in 7 games. His best was 3/25 which really helped UAE get noticed in a big tournament. Javed averaged 14.08 with the ball which is great since UAE doesn’t play at this level very often.
3. Mohammad Naveed (UAE) – 11 Wickets
Mohammad Naveed, another UAE pacer, did well in 2016. He got 11 wickets in 7 games and was a reliable wicket taker. He had good control and pace, averaging 13.18 with the ball and economy of 5.24. Naveed’s best was 3/14 in a tough situation, showing he can perform when it matters.
4. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 11 Wickets
Rashid Khan is one of the best T20 bowlers around. In 8 Asia Cup T20 games between 2016 and 2022, Rashid took 11 wickets, averaging 18.36. His leg-spin, variations and ability to stop runs in the middle overs makes him very important for Afghanistan. His best of 3/22 might not seem special but he’s very consistent and has an economy rate of 6.51 which is top notch.
5. Hardik Pandya (India) – 11 Wickets
Hardik Pandya, India’s pace-bowling all-rounder is also in the top 5. In 8 games across 2016 and 2022, he got 11 wickets. He had a career best of 3/8 in an exciting spell that changed the game for India. He averages 18.81 with a strike rate of 16.09. Hardik has become a key wicket taking option in the middle overs, making him more than just a good batting all-rounder.
