Top five best bowling figures by Indian bowlers against England in T20I cricket

The Indian cricket team has a rich tradition of developing exceptional bowlers. Time and again, these bowlers have demonstrated their skill and effectiveness against leading teams worldwide.

India’s rivalry against England in T20Is has been intriguing because both have had strong bowling units. The clashes between them in the ICC T20 World Cups have been memorable too. Indian bowlers have delivered numerous outstanding performances against England in T20I cricket.

In this article, let’s look at the top five best bowling figures by Indian bowlers against England in T20I cricket.

5. Hardik Pandya – 4/38, Bristol, 2018

Fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya achieved a remarkable feat by taking four wickets during the third T20I match of India's 2018 tour of England, held in Bristol.

Bowling first on a batting-friendly pitch, Pandya’s four-for helped the visitors hold down England to 198 runs. His wickets included Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. With Pandya's exceptional performance and Rohit Sharma's century, India secured a comfortable victory by seven wickets.

4. Hardik Pandya – 4/33, Southampton, 2022

Hardik Pandya achieved another remarkable four-wicket haul against England in Southampton in 2022. On this exceptional day, Pandya not only claimed four wickets but also scored a half-century.

India, batting first, scored 198 runs, largely due to Pandya's impressive contribution of 51 runs off 33 balls. Following this, he delivered an outstanding bowling performance, taking 4 wickets for 33 runs, which enabled the visitors to secure victory by a margin of 50 runs. As a result of his exceptional all-round performance, he was awarded the Player of the Match.

3. Harbhajan Singh – 4/12, Colombo, 2012

Legendary off-spinner Harbhajan Singh recorded mind-blowing bowling figures of 4/12 against England in 2012 at Colombo during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Defending 170, Harbhajan dismantled the English batting lineup, claiming four wickets for just 12 runs in his four-over spell. His outstanding performance was instrumental in India bowling out England for a total of only 80 runs. As a result of his exceptional contribution, he was awarded the Player of the Match title for his decisive spell.

2. Kuldeep Yadav – 5/24, Manchester, 2018

Kuldeep Yadav’s exceptional spell of 5/24 came in the first T20I of England’s tour of India in 2018. After opting to bowl first, India faced the formidable challenge of limiting the high-scoring potential of England's dynamic batting order.

Kuldeep’s masterclass restricted the visitors to 159 runs. Kuldeep’s victims included big names like Jos Buttler and Joe Root. India ultimately won the game comfortably by eight wickets. For his outstanding five-for, Kuldeep was named the Player of the Match. This marked only the second time in which an Indian bowler has claimed five wickets in a men's T20I match against England.

1. Yuzvendra Chahal – 6/25, Bengaluru, 2017

Known for the art of deceiving batsmen with flight and pace variation, Yuzvendra Chahal holds the record for the best bowling figures for India against England in T20I cricket. Chahal took 6/25 in the third T20I of England’s tour of India in 2017 in Bengaluru.

India scored 202 runs while batting first, and Chahal's brilliant performance led to England being dismissed for 127 runs. Chahal's impressive six-wicket haul featured the dismissals of Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes.

Cover Credits - BCCI Official