Well, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is often hailed as one of the most popular and prestigious tournaments in the history of international cricket and is religiously followed by millions of cricket aficionados from every nook and corner of the world. The ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will witness the final showdown on 8 March 2026. The T20 World Cup has been witness to numerous spine-chilling moments, bolo-curdling rivalries between arch rivals and an endless streak of drama on the field.
The glorious history of the T20 World Cup, which spans over decades, has also been witness to numerous legendary bowlers, including Varun Chakravarthy, Rashid Khan, Abrar Ahmed and many others who have annihilated the top batting lineups of numerous prominent teams of the world and have successfully led their teams to some of the most memorable and sensational victories in the T20 World Cup. Have you ever wondered about the top four bowlers who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the T20 World Cup as of January 2026? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four bowlers who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as of January 2026.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup : Top 4 Bowlers With Most Wickets
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Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh – 50 Wickets
The legendary Bangladeshi former international cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is at the first spot in our list of the top four bowlers who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Often hailed as one of the most lethal bowlers in the history of international cricket, Shakib Al Hasan represented Bangladesh in a record total of 43 T20 World Cup matches between 2007 and 2024 and picked up a record total of 50 wickets at an economy rate of 6.86 and a phenomenal average of 20.12 which continues to be the highest aggregate as of January 2026 speaking volumes about his dominance in the arena of international cricket. Although Shakib Al Hasan announced his official retirement from all formats of international cricket in 2024, his legacy continues to reverberate in the annals of international cricket.
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Pinnaduwage Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka – 40 Wickets
At the second spot in our list of the top four bowlers who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as of January 2026, we have the 28-year old sensational Sri Lankan international cricketer Pinnaduwage Wanindu Hasaranga who has been a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s bowling unit since he made his star-studded debut in 2017.
Widely regarded as one of the most prominent international cricketers, Pinnaduwage Wanindu Hasaranga has played a record total of 20 T20 World Cup matches as of January 2026 and has picked up a spine-chilling total of 40 wickets at an average of 11.47 and a blistering economy rate of 6.01 which continues to be the second-highest aggregate ranking him at the second spot in our list.
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Shahid Afridi, Pakistan – 39 Wickets
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four bowlers who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, we have the legendary Pakistani former international cricketer Shahid Afridi, who is widely hailed as one of the most successful and influential cricketers to ever represent Pakistan on an international level.
Throughout his star-studded international cricketing career, which spanned from 1996 to 2016, Shahid Afridi played a record total of 34 T20 World Cup matches and picked up a phenomenal total of 39 wickets at an average of 23.25 and an economy rate of 6.71, which continues to be the third-highest aggregate as of January 2026 ranking him at the third spot in our list. The former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team played his career’s last T20 World Cup match against West Indies on 31 May 2018.
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Rashid Khan, Afghanistan – 38 Wickets
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four bowlers, who have picked up the highest number of wickets in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as of January 2026, we have the 27-year old Afghan international cricketer Rashid Khan who is currently serving as the captain of the Afghanistan national cricket team and also plays for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League(IPL), Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Band-e-Amir Dragons in Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League and MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC). As of January 2026, Rashid Khan has played a record total of 24 T20 World Cup matches and has claimed a spine-chilling total of 38 wickets at an economy rate of 6.42 and an average of 15.44, which continues to be the fourth-highest aggregate as of January 2026.
