Syazrul Idrus sets a new World record for most wickets in Men’s T20 International

Malaysia’s Syazrul Idrus made history on Wednesday during the opening game of the T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier at Bayuemas Oval. The right-arm seamer became the first male cricketer to pick seven wickets in a T20 International. His exceptional figures of 7 for 8 played a crucial role in Malaysia’s commanding eight-wicket victory over China.

Idrus, aged 32, had previously represented Malaysia in 22 T20Is, but his latest performance set a new record for the best bowling figures in men’s T20Is. He surpassed Nigerian Peter Aho’s previous record of 6 for 5, with all of Idrus’ dismissals coming via bowled deliveries.

Among full ICC members, India’s Deepak Chahar holds the record for the best bowling figures in a T20I, with 6 for 7 against Bangladesh in 2019.

Idrus’ extraordinary achievement is now the joint-third best overall, along with Dinesh Nakrani of Uganda.

Prior to Idrus’ feat, only 12 bowlers had achieved six-wicket hauls in men’s T20Is, including renowned names like India’s  Yuzvendra Chahal and Deepak Chahar, Australia’s Ashton Agar and Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis. However, none had managed to take seven wickets until Idrus’ exceptional display.

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In the match against China, who elected to bat first, the Chinese team encountered severe difficulties and were bowled out for a paltry 23 in 11.2 overs. Idrus single-handedly dismantled their batting line-up, with none of their players reaching double-digit scores. Opener Wei Guo Lei top-scored with just 7 runs, while six Chinese batters were dismissed without adding any runs to the board. Malaysia comfortably chased down the low target, reaching 24 for 2 in only 4.5 overs to secure an emphatic victory.

The stakes are high in the T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier as the winner will advance to the Asia Regional Final in Nepal scheduled for November. The top two teams from the Regional Final will qualify for the prestigious T20 World Cup in 2024, making every match crucial for the participating teams.

Best bowling figures in Men’s T20I

• 7/8 – Syazrul Idrus (Malaysia) vs China, (Kuala Lumpur, 2023)
• 6/5 – Peter Aho (Nigeria) vs Sierra Leone (Lagos, 2021)
• 6/7 – Deepak Chahar (India) vs Bangladesh (Nagpur, 2019)
• 6/7 – Dinesh Nakrani (Uganda) vs Lesotho (Kigali, 2021)
• 6/8 – Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) vs Zimbabwe (Hambantota, 2012)
• 6/10 – JJ Smit (Namibia) vs Uganda (Windhoek, 2022)