Off-spinners often have a tough time in T20I cricket. But a few off-spinners have overcome the challenge, taking heaps of wickets in the shortest format.
Most T20I Wickets by Off-Spinners
| Player | Team | Innings | Wickets | Best Bowling (Innings) | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | 4W/5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ehsan Khan | Hong Kong | 97 | 132 | 4/5 | 16.81 | 6.28 | 16.0 | 5/0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | Afghanistan | 132 | 104 | 4/10 | 28.35 | 7.32 | 23.2 | 3/0 |
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 113 | 102 | 5/18 | 22.93 | 6.76 | 20.3 | 2/1 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan | 63 | 85 | 4/19 | 17.83 | 6.36 | 16.8 | 4/0 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Afghanistan | 58 | 76 | 5/20 | 18.26 | 6.46 | 16.9 | 2/1 |
| Frank Nsubuga | Uganda | 71 | 76 | 3/8 | 15.23 | 4.71 | 19.4 | 0/0 |
| Kevin Irakoze | Rwanda | 72 | 74 | 4/20 | 19.13 | 6.55 | 17.5 | 3/0 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 65 | 72 | 4/8 | 23.22 | 6.90 | 20.1 | 2/0 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | 71 | 69 | 3/17 | 27.26 | 7.03 | 23.2 | 0/0 |
| Vijay Unni | Malaysia | 65 | 69 | 4/6 | 19.24 | 6.26 | 18.4 | 2/0 |
| Moazzam Baig | Malawi | 43 | 68 | 6/9 | 10.69 | 4.89 | 13.1 | 2/3 |
Key Insights on Leading Off-Spin Wicket-Takers in T20 International Cricket
Top Wicket Takers and Milestone Achievements
Hong Kong’s Ehsan Khan has taken the most wickets among off-spinners in T20I cricket. He is currently at No. 7 in the overall spinners list in T20Is, showing the dominance of leg-spinners in T20I cricket.
Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi are the two off-spinners from full-member teams with 100 or more wickets in T20Is.
Ehsan and Nabi are the two off-spinners with more than 100 wickets in away-from-home T20Is.
Record-Breaking Single Match and Annual Performances
Ehsan picked up 46 of his wickets in 2024, the most by an off-spinner in a calendar year in T20Is. This is also the most wickets by a right-arm tweaker in a year in T20Is. Find out here the bowler (any type) to pick the most wickets in a single year in the T20 internationals.
Malawi’s Moazzam Baig is the only off-spinner to bag three or more five-wicket hauls in T20Is.
Baig, Ehsan, and Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis are the three off-spinners with five or more four-wicket hauls in T20Is.
Mendis has delivered the best bowling figures by an off-spinner in a T20I innings. He returned with six scalps for eight runs against Zimbabwe in Hambantota in the 2012 T20 World Cup encounter. This is also the best figure by any bowler in the T20 World Cup.
Venue, Opponent, and Economic Bowling Records
Spain’s Yasir Ali is the only off-spinner to have a strike rate below 13 in T20Is (minimum 500 balls bowled).
Raza (in Zimbabwe), Kevin Irakoze (in Rwanda), and Vijay Unni (in Malaysia) have taken 40 or more wickets at home as off-spinners in T20Is.
Ehsan, Raza, Gerbard Erasmus (Namibia), and Emmanuel Sebareme (Rwanda) are the four off-spinners with 15 or more wickets at two or more venues in T20Is.
Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman (vs Bangladesh, Ireland & Zimbabwe) and Rwanda’s Irakoze (vs Ghana & Tanzania) are the two off-spinners to take 15 or more wickets against multiple opponents in T20Is.
Moazzam Baig is the only off-spinner to average below 11 in T20I cricket (minimum 500 balls bowled).
Uganda’s Frank Nsubuga and Baig are the two off-spinners to maintain an economy rate below five in T20Is (minimum 500 balls bowled).
