New Zealand captain Tim Southee dismisses Jonny Bairstow to become highest wicket-taker in T20Is

On Wednesday, August 30, Tim Southee, the T20I captain for New Zealand, reached the milestone of taking 141 wickets in T20I cricket as he outplayed English opener Jonny Bairstow at Chester-le-Street in the opening T20I of the four-match series.

Southee and great all-arounder Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh were tied for the highest wicket-taker in T20Is before the match. With 140 wickets each, the two players were equal for first place. Bangladesh won’t be playing a T20I anytime soon, thus Southee has seized a one-wicket advantage and now holds the record.

Southee had the first visitor breakthrough in the match when defending a total of 139, getting a delivery to shape away from Bairstow. Just poking at it, the right-handed batsman ultimately nicks it to Daryl Mitchell in the slip cordon. Southee’s breakthrough, though, didn’t last long since Dawid Malan and Harry Brook ended the visitors’ chances of winning.

Before winning the match with 36 balls remaining in the 14th over, England only lost three wickets. Southee wouldn’t be very happy despite reaching a significant personal milestone because New Zealand faces a stiff struggle to win the series or even mount a credible comeback against the reigning T20 global champions.

One of the senior-most professionals in the current New Zealand lineup is Southee. The right-arm pacer has gone a long way since making his T20I debut on February 2, 2008, against the Three Lions. With the help of two five-wicket hauls and a four-for, Southee has taken 141 wickets in 111 T20I matches. His greatest bowling performance in the format (5/18) came against Pakistan in an Auckland match in 2010.

List of highest wicket-taker in T20Is