Malaysian seamer Syazrul Ezat Idrus became the first bowler to claim a seven-wicket haul in a men’s T20I when he achieved the feat during a 2024 World Cup Qualifier tournament match against China at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
The 32-year-old returned jaw-dropping figures of 7/8 in his four overs, a feat made even more remarkable by the fact that all seven of his victims were bowled.
China were bundled out for 23 in the 12th over of their innings and Malaysia romped to an eight-wicket victory with 15.1 overs to spare in the Asia Regional Qualifier B tournament on Wednesday.
“I am grateful for being given the trust by captain Ahmad Faiz Noor to bowl against China,” Idrus was quoted as saying by the Malaysian media after the match. “It is a privilege to break the world record.”
Nigerian Peter Aho held the previous record after returning figures of 6/5 against Sierra Leone in 2021.
India’s Deepak Chahar claimed 6/7 against Bangladesh in 2019 in what remains the best figures in a men’s T20 contest between cricket’s Test-playing nations. Overall, 12 bowlers have claimed six-wicket hauls in men’s T20I.
