Cricket
Best T20 World Cup Bowlers of All-Time: Ranking the Greatest Performers
Answering the question ‘Who is the T20 World Cup’s most iconic bowler’ is tricky. SportsBoom has taken a structured approach to see where legends like Shakib Al Hasan rank among the tournament’s best performers with the ball.
Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh//Getty Images
When considering the attributes of an international-level bowler, they need accuracy, ability and adaptability to stand out from the crowd.
For those who have represented their country in major cricket tournaments, the talents needed to make a mark at this level are magnified.
The greatest T20 World Cup bowlers are among the icons of the shortest format, able to absorb pressure and outthink the opposing team.
Whether through swing and pace or flight and variations, the best ball merchants are those with the skill to take wickets and halt scoring.
SportsBoom looks at the best bowlers to grace the T20 World Cup stage, highlighting the importance of bowling in a batter’s game.
Top Wicket-Takers in T20 World Cup History
One of the primary metrics for gauging performances is to consider which players have the most wickets in T20 World Cup history.
Those with the best economy rate in T20 World Cups would also be in the argument for their role in stifling the opposition batting attack.
SportsBoom has first looked at the top 10 players in the 20-over ICC tournament based on the wickets taken, average and economy rate.
Top Wicket-Takers
| Player | Country | Wickets | Average | Economy |
| Shakib Al Hasan | Bangladesh | 50 | 20.12 | 6.86 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 39 | 23.25 | 6.71 |
| Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 38 | 20.07 | 7.43 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | 37 | 11.72 | 6.00 |
| Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 37 | 14.89 | 6.30 |
| Adam Zampa | Australia | 36 | 13.69 | 6.32 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan | 36 | 16.86 | 6.79 |
| Tim Southee | New Zealand | 36 | 17.91 | 6.99 |
| Anrich Nortje | South Africa | 35 | 11.40 | 5.55 |
| Ajantha Mendis | Sri Lanka | 35 | 15.02 | 6.70 |
Top Bowlers in T20 World Cup History
This article has ranked the greatest T20 World Cup bowlers of all-time based on three main performance metrics.
Players have been scored on total wickets taken (60% weightage), bowling average (20%) and economy rate (20%).
To ensure accuracy, SportsBoom’s calculations are based on statistics from ESPN Cricinfo, Cricbuzz and Howstat.
Performance Table
| Player | Score |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 0.942 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | 0.910 |
| Rashid Khan (AFG) | 0.898 |
| Adam Zampa (AUS) | 0.883 |
| Anrich Nortje (SA) | 0.874 |
| Lasith Malinga (SL) | 0.842 |
| Saeed Ajmal (PAK) | 0.829 |
| Ajantha Mendis (SL) | 0.819 |
| Tim Southee | 0.801 |
| Shahid Afridi | 0.789 |
Methodology: How We Determined the Best T20 World Cup Bowler
To ensure an unbiased approach, SportsBoom followed a structured approach by collecting data, key metrics and final rankings.
Statistics were gathered from Cricinfo, Cricbuzz and Howstat to determine the shortlist for the top-performing T20 World Cup bowlers.
The key metrics considered were: total wickets (60% weightage) - which reflects a bowler’s impact and their ability to take wickets consistently.
Bowling average (20%) measures a player’s effectiveness by wickets per runs conceded, while economy rate (20%) highlights their ability to control run flow.
The final ranking system used weighted scores assigned to each metric, normalised values for fair comparison and final scores to calculate who ranks the highest.
Wanindu Hasaranga of Sri Lanka//Getty Images
SportsBoom Suggests: The Best T20 World Cup Bowler
Based on SportsBoom’s analysis, Shakib Al Hasan is the greatest T20 World Cup bowler of all-time. Boasting a blend of consistency, economy and wicket-taking, his abilities and leadership in crucial games make him a top performer for Bangladesh.
Shakib Al Hasan’s T20 World Cup stats include best figures of 4/9 during the 2021 edition against Papua New Guinea - the third time he claimed a four-wicket haul in the tournament. He also earned four Player of the Match awards as a contributor with the bat and the ball.
The Bangladesh icon, who has been on the sidelines of international cricket due to a suspension, also made history as the first bowler to reach 50 wickets in the 20-over ICC tournament, reaching the milestone in his 42nd game.
Shakib Al Hasan has the most wickets and runs for Bangladesh in T20s and was also the first cricketer from his country to reach 2,000 runs and 100 wickets in ODIs.
Greatest T20 World Cup Bowlers: Other Notable Names
With Shakib’s international bowling career on pause, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is the closest to taking the top position for T20 World Cup wicket-takers.
To justify his potential to one day lead the table, he currently ranks fourth in the ICC Men’s T20I bowlers rankings and sixth for the best T20 international all-rounders.
Hasaranga also won the award for the most wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup with 16 dismissals, establishing himself as one of Sri Lanka’s best T20 bowlers.
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is also within touching distance of Shakib Al Hasan’s wicket haul, showcasing his consistency and effectiveness in 20-over cricket.
His contributions as a bowler have helped shape his country’s remarkable rise on the international stage in the shortest format from minnows to genuine contenders.
Notably, Rashid Khan’s best T20 bowling figures for Afghanistan came in the form of a record-breaking 4/17 against New Zealand in the 2024 edition of the tournament.
Australian spinner Adam Zampa and South African pace bowler Anrich Nortje have also shown their potential and would be looking to further establish themselves in T20 WCs.
Rashid Khan//Getty Images
Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga made his mark on the T20 World Cup thanks to his blistering pace and near-unplayable swing deliveries.
In the 2012 edition, he bowled an impressive spell of 5/31 that saw his country advance to the semi-finals ahead of opponents England.
Two years later, Malinga was far from his most prolific but still guided Sri Lanka through to the 2014 final where they sent India packing.
Likewise, Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal used his brand of spin to claim 36 wickets in T20 World Cups, including figures of 4/19 against Ireland in 2009.
Finishing that year’s tournament as the joint second-highest wicket-taker, he went on to take two more four-wicket hauls to cement his legacy.
Despite being something of a late bloomer for the Pakistan set-up, Ajmal’s prestige as a mystery spinner made him a true threat for batsmen.
The ranking also includes three iconic former players: Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who have all contributed to the popularity of T20 cricket as seasoned campaigners.
Honourable Mentions: T20 World Cup Legends Who Missed the List
Despite the structured approach to the ranking of T20 World Cup bowlers, some legendary figures did not make the list.
However, SportsBoom believes these players deserve recognition for their contributions to their countries in 20-over cricket.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar - The Indian pace bowler is one of the most deadly with the new ball for his country and the world. He has taken just eight wickets thus far but boasts an economy rate of 5.98, showcasing his near-unplayable style. His best figures are 2/9 in the 2022 edition.
Sunil Narine - The West Indies spinner has claimed 15 wickets in T20 World Cups, boasting an economy rate of 5/17 and an average of 15.40. His best figures of 3/9 also earned him a Player of the Match award in the 2012 final, helping the Windies claim the trophy.
Dwayne Bravo - The West Indies legend utilised his medium-pace deliveries to somewhat surprising effectiveness, claiming 27 wickets in T20 World Cups at an average of 28.96 and an economy rate of 8.82. His four wickets for 38 runs in the 2009 edition, coupled with an unbeaten 66, earned him the first of two Player of the Match accolades.
Samuel Badree - The West Indies wrist spinner also boasts a significant impact for his country at T20 World Cups, with 24 wickets at an economy of 5.53 and an average of 13.58. His best figures of 4/15 came against Bangladesh in the 2014 edition.
Dwayne Bravo celebrating Moeen Ali wicket//Getty Images
Greatest T20 World Cup Bowlers: Final Thoughts
Under pressure in a global tournament in cricket’s most intense format, some players have risen to the challenge and proved the doubters wrong.
Despite being the most recent ICC competition, T20 World Cups are renowned for producing some of the finest bowling performances ever.
While Shakib Al Hasan leads the rankings, others like Wanindu Hasaranga and Rashid Khan have time to establish themselves at the top.
Which T20 World Cup bowling performance do you rate as the greatest, and which bowler should be listed among the best in history?
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.