Bhuvneshwar Kumar currently holds the record for the most T20I wickets in powerplay overs.
In T20 cricket, the first six overs of an innings are the powerplay overs, where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Bowlers have the most difficulty during these six overs as batters usually score the majority of their runs with the help of fours and sixes.
However, there have been a few bowlers who have excelled in not only containing the flow of runs in the powerplay overs but also picked up plenty of wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's dismissal of opposing captain Andrew Balbirnie in the first Ireland vs India T20I saw him go past former West Indies bowler Samuel Badree and New Zealand star Tim Southee, who have 33 T20I wickets in the powerplay overs.
His 34 T20I wickets in 134 powerplay overs have come in 62 innings, at an economy rate of 5.53.
While Trinidad and Tobago-born leg-spinner Samuel Badree picked 33 T20I wickets in the 121 powerplay overs that he bowled in 50 innings, Kiwi fast bowler Tim Southee has bagged 33 wickets in 68 T20I innings, bowling a total of 129 powerplay overs.
Having made his T20I debut against New Zealand in 2012, Badree has scalped 56 wickets in the 52 T20I matches that he played.
On the other hand, Southee has claimed 111 T20I wickets in 92 matches since making his T20I debut against England in 2008.
Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan features fourth on the list of most T20I wickets in powerplay overs.
The left-arm spinner has picked 27 T20I wickets in the 83 powerplay overs that he has bowled in 58 innings. Having made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in 2006, Shakib has claimed 119 T20I wickets in 96 matches that he has played so far.
Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh and Australia’s Mitchell Starc are next on the list with 26 T20I wickets each in the powerplay overs.
Hazlewood has bagged 26 wickets in 30 T20I innings, having bowled a total of 69 overs in the powerplay. On the other hand, Mustafizur has taken the same number of wickets in the 78 overs that he bowled in 56 innings. Starc has taken 51 inningsand 99 powerplay overs to reach the mark.
Most T20I wickets in powerplay overs
| Bowler | Innings | Overs | Wickets |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) | 62 | 134.0 | 34 |
| Samuel Badree (West Indies) | 58 | 121.0 | 33 |
| Tim Southee (New Zealand) | 68 | 129.0 | 33 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) | 58 | 83.0 | 27 |
| Josh Hazlewood (Australia) | 30 | 69.0 | 26 |
| Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) | 56 | 78.0 | 26 |
| Mitchell Starc (Australia) | 51 | 99.0 | 26 |
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Featured photo: BCCI
