Star spinner Rashid Khan of Afghanistan surpassed West Indies great Dwayne Bravo to capture the most wickets in Twenty20 cricket.
During MI Cape Town’s Qualifier One match versus Paarl Royals at Gqerberha, Rashid Khan achieved this accomplishment.
Rashid Khan took 2/34 in his four overs throughout the game, dismissing Dinesh Karthik and Dunith Wellalage while defending 200 runs.
Rashid has now claimed 633 wickets at an average of 18.07 in 461 Twenty20 matches, with his best numbers being 6/17. Throughout his career, he has claimed four five-wicket hauls.
Bravo has collected 631 wickets at an average of 24.40 in his 18-year-old T20 career, which has seen him win numerous golds for the West Indies and several teams. His best stats were 5/23, and he has taken three five-wicket hauls.
These two T20 greats are followed by South Africa’s Imran Tahir (531 wickets in 428 matches at an average of 19.99, with best figures of 5/23) and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (492 wickets in 444 matches at an average of 21.49, with best figures of 6/6), and the West Indies’ Sunil Narine (574 wickets in 536 wickets at an average of 21.60, with best figures of 5/19).
Paarl Royals decided to field first going into the game.
With an outstanding 87-run opening partnership in just 9.2 overs, the opening batsmen Ryan Rickelton (44 off 27 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Rassie van der Dussen (40 off 32 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) set the stage for the commanding 199/4.
MI Cape Town was reduced to 91/3 after the Royals mounted a minor comeback, taking three wickets for a total of just six runs.
However, George Linde’s three sixes in his 14-ball 26 helped the table-toppers regain the upper hand.
Delano Potgieter (32 not out off 17 balls, four boundaries, and a six) and Dewald Brevis (44 not out off 30 balls, with four sixes) added 74 runs in the final five overs as the Royals lost their discipline with a couple of waist-high full tosses that forced Dayyaan Galiem out of the attack.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Mitchell Owen took 21 runs off Trent Boult’s opening over as the Royals got off to a strong start in their run-chase.
However, Pretorius’ brief appearance (15 off six balls, with two fours and a six) was abruptly cut short by Kagiso Rabada.
With only skipper Miller providing any opposition with a 26-ball 45 that included four boundaries and a six, the Royals were unable to muster any momentum after that. Dinesh Karthik, a batsman and wicketkeeper, also made 31 runs in 28 balls, including five fours.
MI Cape Town celebrated further when captain Rashid Khan defeated Royals all-rounder Dunith Wellalage to surpass West Indian icon Dwayne Bravo as the top wicket-taker in T20 cricket.
Potgieter won the title of “Player of the Match.”
The Royals will get another chance on Thursday in Qualifier 2 at Centurion, while MI Cape Town will go directly to the final on Saturday against the Wanderers.