Rashid Khan, The First Bowler to Reach 700 T20 Wickets
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has created history. He is now the first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets.
Rashid achieved the milestone during Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup match against UAE in Delhi on February 16.
Rashid started the match with 699 wickets. He reached the landmark when he dismissed Muhammad Arfan in the 16th over of the UAE innings. Arfan was out hit wicket while attempting a reverse sweep. It was Rashid’s final over of the spell.
He barely celebrated the moment. Afghanistan still needed a win and favourable results to qualify for the Super Eights.
Rashid Khan Sets New Record for Most T20 Wickets
Rashid Khan is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the shortest format. He is only 27 years old. Yet he has now reached a milestone no other bowler has achieved in T20 cricket.
Muttiah Muralidaran has the most wickets in a single format with 800 wickets in Tests. Rashid, who is only 27, has plenty of time in his career to surpass and become the greatest ever T20 bowler.
He had taken his 698th and 699th wickets against South Africa last week. In this match, he bowled 3.2 overs without success before getting the historic breakthrough.
Before dismissing Arfan, he conceded 17 runs in 20 balls. Rashid has led the race for most T20 wickets for some time.
Retired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is second on the all-time list with 631 wickets. Among active players, Sunil Narine is third overall and second among current cricketers with 613 wickets. Narine crossed 600 wickets in December during Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ ILT20 match against Sharjah Warriorz.
Most T20 Wickets Milestone List
| Milestone | Player | Country | Year |
| 100 Wickets | Dirk Nannes | Australia | 2010 |
| 200 Wickets | Dirk Nannes | Australia | 2012 |
| 300 Wickets | Dwayne Bravo | West Indies | 2016 |
| 400 Wickets | Dwayne Bravo | West Indies | 2017 |
| 500 Wickets | Dwayne Bravo | West Indies | 2020 |
| 600 Wickets | Dwayne Bravo | West Indies | 2022 |
| 700 Wickets | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 2026 |
Rashid Khan Most T20I Wickets
Rashid is also the highest wicket-taker in T20 internationals. His 700th T20 wicket was also his 191st T20I wicket for Afghanistan.
Behind him in the T20I list are New Zealand pacer Tim Southee with 164 wickets and Ish Sodhi with 162 wickets. The milestone had been a regular topic in numerous discussions before the T20 World Cup.
Rashid Khan’s Form After Back Surgery
Rashid has been slightly below his peak since undergoing back surgery in 2023.
However, he showed strong form in Afghanistan’s recent series win over West Indies. In 3 matches, he conceded just 51 runs in 12 overs and picked up 5 wickets in high-scoring games.
In Afghanistan’s first match of the 2026 T20 World Cup, he returned figures of 1 for 36. He was Afghanistan’s second-most economical bowler behind Mujeeb Ur Rahman. New Zealand chased down Afghanistan’s 182 with more than two overs remaining in that game.
Despite ups and downs, Rashid continues to dominate the T20 format. Now, he stands alone at the top with 700 T20 wickets.