Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya in race to achieve huge landmark during IND vs SA 2024 T20I series

Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya could create history during the four-match T20I series in South Africa if they have a good time with the ball. Both cricketers have 87 scalps each in T20Is and are India's joint-fourth on the list of leading wicket-takers in the format.

If either picks up 10 wickets in the series against the Proteas, which begins in Durban on Friday, November 8, that player will become India's leading wicket-taker in T20Is. Currently, the record is held by Yuzvendra Chahal, who has claimed 96 wickets in 80 matches at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 8.19.

Having made his debut in 2022, Arshdeep has played 56 T20I matches so far in which he has claimed 87 wickets at an average of 18.35 and an economy rate of 8.28, with a best of 4-9. As for Pandya, he has 87 scalps from 105 games at an average of 26.01 and an economy rate of 8.17, with a best of 4-16.

Apart from Chahal, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are ahead of Arshdeep and Pandya on the list of bowlers with the most T20I wickets for India. Bhuvneshwar is in second place, having claimed 90 wickets in 87 matches at an average of 23.10 and an economy rate of 6.96. He is followed by Bumrah, who has claimed 89 scalps in 70 games, averaging 17.74, with an economy rate of 6.27.

Meanwhile, if either Arshdeep or Pandya manages to claim 13 wickets in the four-match series against South Africa, it will mark the first instance of an Indian bowler claiming 100 wickets in Men's T20Is. New Zealand's Tim Southee is the all-time leading wicket-taker in the format, having claimed 164 scalps in 126 games.

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Arshdeep Singh on verge of breaking Bhuvneshwar Kumar's record

With 10 wickets in the four-match series against South Africa, Arshdeep can surpass Bhuvneshwar's record for most wickets in a calendar year by an Indian bowler in T20Is. The latter holds the record for taking 37 scalps in 32 wickets in 2022. Arshdeep currently has 28 wickets from 14 T20Is this year, averaging 12.96, with an economy rate of 7.14.

Incidentally, the left-arm pacer is also second on the list of Indian bowlers to have taken the most wickets in a calendar year in T20Is. The 25-year-old claimed 33 victims in 21 games in 2022. Right-arm pacer Bumrah is next on the list, with 28 wickets from 21 games in 2016.