Record Alert! Yuzvendra Chahal becomes highest wicket-taker in India’s T20I history

Yuzvendra Chahal has become the highest wicket-taker for Team India in T20I history. The leg-spinner achieved the landmark during the second T20I against New Zealand in Lucknow on Sunday, January 29.

The 32-year-old came out all guns blazing in the second game after being dropped for the opening match, which India lost by 21 runs.

Chahal clean-bowled Kiwi opener Finn Allen — who missed an attempted reverse sweep — in his first over to go past ace seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's tally of 90 wickets in the shortest format. He needs nine more scalps to complete 100 wickets.

Chahal will look for another breakthrough year after picking up 23 wickets in 21 T20Is last year. So far, he has scalped 91 wickets in 75 games.

India’s Top five wicket-takers in T20Is

1. Yuzvendra Chahal – 91
2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar -90
3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 72
4. Jasprit Bumrah – 70
5. Hardik Pandya – 64

New Zealand’s Tim Southee is the highest wicket-taker in T20Is, with 134 scalps in 107 matches. Shakib Al Hasan, Rashid Khan, Ish Sodhi and Lasith Malinga are the other bowlers who have at least 100 wickets in the shortest format.

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“The KulCha is back” - Hardik Pandya on Yuzvendra Chahal’s inclusion in do-or-die match against New Zealand

India captain Hardik Pandya confirmed the return of 'KulCha' (Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal) in T20Is after the ODI series. Speaking at the toss, he confirmed that the duo are the wicket-takers and that they are back together on popular demands.

He said:

“The KulCha is back, a lot of people wanted to see, they are wicket-takers. The way Washi is playing, we've got three proper spinners who can squeeze if required.”

Pandya added:

“It might turn. That's the reason we have made one change. Umran misses out, Yuzi comes in.”

Chahal replaced Umran Malik in the playing XI as the speedster leaked 16 runs in the only over that he bowled in the last game.

India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh