IND vs SA: Bhuvneshwar Kumar One Wicket Away From Breaking A T20I World Record

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who were both rested to preparation for the England Test in Birmingham, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has done a fantastic job spearheading India’s pace attack against South Africa.

Bhuvneshwar, who was not at his best when India toured South Africa earlier this year, made a strong recovery in the home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, and has continued that form into the T20Is against South Africa.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Expected To Continue Good Form

In three games, the right-arm seamer has taken six wickets and has appeared the finest bowler on show in the powerplay. When India takes against the Temba Bavuma-led team in Rajkot on Friday, they would expect their most experienced pacer to continue in the same vein. 

Not if Bhuvneshwar needed any more incentive, but the fact that he is on the cusp of breaking a pair of major records is likely to put a smile on his face as he approaches the must-win competition. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1 Wicket Away From Breaking Record For Most Powerplay Wickets Taken

Bhuvneshwar is one wicket away from breaking the record for most powerplay wickets taken. He is now tied with Samuel Badree and Tim Southee for third place. So far, they’ve each taken 33 wickets in powerplays.

Bhuvneshwar, Badree, and Southee are also the only three bowlers in T20I history to bowl over 100 overs in the powerplay. The Indian seamer is at the top of the leaderboard with 130 overs in the first six overs. 

Bhuvneshwar got his 64th T20I wicket in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday, bringing him one wicket closer to Jasprit Bumrah’s record of 67 in the format. Yuzvendra Chahal has already eclipsed Bumrah as India’s highest T20I wicket-taker in this series, and Bhuvneshwar will be trying to overtake Bumrah as the series’ best fast bowler in the series’ last two matches in Rajkot and Bangalore. 

It was also Kumar’s 14th wicket in T20Is versus South Africa; only Dwayne Bravo and Chris Jordan have more, each with 15. Bhuvneshwar Kumar could become the top wicket-taker against the Proteas with two more wickets this series, having done it at a higher average and economy than the two players now above him. 

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