Sports

Arshdeep Breaks Shaheen Afridi’s T20I Record – Details Inside

22 Jan, 2026

Arshdeep Singh might have picked only one wicket in the first T20I against New Zealand, but it was enough for him to create an all-time record in the shortest format of the game. With Devon Conway's wicket, he thrashed Shaheen Afridi's record in the format.

India's left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh returned with figures of 1/31 in his four overs as the men in blue defended a mammoth total of 238 runs comfortably against New Zealand on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. He dismissed Devon Conway in the first over of the innings, and in the process, broke Shaheen Afridi and Junaid Siddique's all-time record in the shortest format of the game.

Arshdeep has picked the most wickets while opening the bowling for India (first two overs of the innings). He has accounted for 28 wickets in this aspect of the game in 67 innings, while Shaheen of Pakistan and Siddique of the UAE have accounted for 27 scalps each in 87 and 75 innings, respectively.

The left-arm pacer has made it a habit to strike in the first over of his spell more often than not and that has benefited India on most occasions. Specifically, this was the 12th time Arshdeep accounted for a wicket in the first over of the innings, but he is in 10th place in this list in the format.

India beat New Zealand in 1st T20I courtesy of Abhishek Sharma

As for the match, India defeated New Zealand in the first T20I by 48 runs, thanks to a blitz from Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order. He smashed 84 runs off just 35 deliveries despite losing Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan early in the innings. While Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also chipped in with 32 and 25 runs in the middle-order, Rinku Singh provided the stunning assault in the death overs to propel India to 238 runs in 20 overs.

The southpaw scored 44 runs off just 20 balls with four fours and three sixes as India amassed a mammoth total. As expected, New Zealand didn't give up and kept fighting hard, only to fall short eventually by 48 runs. Glenn Phillips was the top-scorer for them with 78 runs off 40 balls.