Dubai [UAE], September 24 : Bangladesh's versatile quick Mustafizur Rahman joined an exclusive club by becoming just the fourth player to claim 150 T20I wickets after his exploits against India in the Super Fours fixture at the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai on Wednesday.
Mustafizur returned with figures of 1/33 after his four-over spell to become one of the format's all-time greats. He became Bangladesh's leading T20I wicket-taker after surpassing the former stalwart Shakib Al Hasan's tally of 149 wickets. With figures of 6/10 against the United States in 2024, Mustafizur has registered the best numbers in the format among pacers.
The 30-year-old went level with New Zealand's seasoned spinner Ish Sodhi to become the joint third-highest wicket-taker after former Blackcaps pace spearhead Tim Southee (164) and Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan (173). In 118 appearances, Mustafizur has 150 scalps at an average of 20.65 while maintaining an economy of 7.30.
Mustafizur's 150th T20I victim was India captain Suryakumar Yadav. With a short length delivery going down the leg side, Suryakumar tried to flick the ball away. However, the ball brushed the splice of his willow and stand-in skipper Jaker Ali dove to his left to pouch the ball in his gloves.
After being put to bat, India appeared sluggish, mustering up 17 runs in the first three overs. Despite appearing off colour, Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill bashed Bangladesh bowlers to reach their highest score in the powerplay 72-0 in the ongoing Asia Cup.
After the end of six overs, the momentum started to tilt in Bangladesh's favour, with leg-spinner Rishad Hossain dismissing vice-captain Gill for 29 runs off 19 balls. In the following over, Sharma brought up his second fifty of the tournament, after he clipped through the vacant mid-wicket pocket for a single off Saif Hassan.
Abhishek left his crease looking for a single. Rishad waited for a moment and fired a flat throw at the bowler's end. Seamer Mustafizur was equally calm while gathering the throw, and he whips off the bails before Abhishek could get back in the crease. The 25-year-old's swashbuckling exploits, which ended with 75 (37), fueled India's innings to a modest total of 168/6.