5 Spin Bowlers With The Best Bowling Figures In T20Is

Spin bowlers are often described to be match-winners for their teams in any format and especially, in T20 internationals, they tend to control the middle overs pretty well. They can turn a match on very quickly and every team needs to have at least one spinner who has all the variations and control among the bowlers.

The spinners nowadays haven’t relied so much on the conditions for the T20 games and wrist spin has been of the highest demand in the limited-overs games especially. With a note on that, here are the five best bowling figures for a spinner in T20 Internationals.

5 Spin Bowlers With The Best Bowling Figures In T20Is:

Rangana Herath:

The former Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath is one of the best left-arm spinners in the history of the game with some excellent numbers in all the formats. He played just the 17 T20 Internationals for Sri Lanka picking up 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.13 but was very effective.

Herath produced an outstanding spell in the 2014 T20 World Cup against New Zealand and ended up picking 5 wickets for just the 3 runs in 3.3 overs with 2 maidens. His spell made sure that Sri Lanka defended just 119 to win the game by 59 runs. It is the fifth-best bowling figure for a spinner in T20 internationals.

Ashton Agar:

The Australian all-rounder Ashton Agar produced one of the best spells in the Wellington T20I game against New Zealand in 2021. Australia scored 208 in the first innings with Maxwell scoring a quickfire 70 and in reply, Martin Guptill started off brilliantly for New Zealand.

However, Ashton Agar went past through the New Zealand middle order picking up 6 wickets in his 4 over spell and conceded 30 runs. His spell made sure that Australia went on to win the game comfortably by 64 runs in the end.

Yuzvendra Chahal:

The Indian leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal produced a fine spell of bowling against England in 2017 and recorded the third-best figures by a spinner in T20 internationals. India batted first in the game and posted 202 for the loss of 7 wickets on board in their first innings at Bangalore.

In reply, England never got their batting going and in the end, were bundled out for 127 in the end. Chahal was the pick of the bowlers as he took six wickets for 25 runs in his 4 overs spell and ran through the batting order of England.

Ajantha Mendis:

The former Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis came into the international scene at first with his different variations and he produced yet another mystery spell which is still the second-best figure for a spin bowler in T20 internationals. Sri Lanka batted first in the Pallekele T20I and ended up scoring 157 on the board.

The chase was well set up for Australia until Mendis came into bowling and created havoc in the Australian middle order. Mendis picked up 6 wickets for just 16 runs in his 4 over spell and sneaked in a maiden too. Sri Lanka went on to win the game closely by just 8 runs in the end.

Ajantha Mendis:

Ajantha Mendis seemed to enjoy bowling those breathtaking spells in T20 Internationals and it is hard to stop him when he is on a song. In the T20 World Cup 2012, Sri Lanka batted first and scored 182 on the board against Zimbabwe in their 20 overs.

In reply, Zimbabwe could muster just 100 runs in their chase and it was the Ajantha Mendis show in Hambantota. He picked up 6 wickets in 4 overs for just 8 runs and bowled 2 maidens in the process too. Mendis’ spell is the best-recorded figure by a spin bowler in T20 internationals so far.