Sufiyan Muqeem Joins Elite Company After Zimbabwe Series

After a stunning display of spin bowling, Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem has etched his name alongside some of the finest spinners in T20I cricket history, matching Ravichandran Ashwin’s record for the most wickets taken by a spinner in a three-match series.

Muqeem’s achievement sees him join India’s Ashwin, who had set the previous record with 9 wickets against Sri Lanka in 2016. However, Muqeem’s performance now places him in rarefied air, just behind Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who holds the overall record for most wickets by a spinner in a T20I series with 11 wickets, achieved against Ireland in 2019.

In the third T20I, Muqeem was the standout performer for Pakistan.  He finished the series with a total of 9 wickets at a stunning average of 4.66.

Muqeem’s 9-wicket haul was instrumental in Pakistan securing a 2-1 series victory over Zimbabwe, with his match-winning contributions earning him the Player of the Series award.

Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, praised Muqeem’s outstanding performance, reflecting on the bright future ahead for both him and fellow youngster Saim Ayub. “Both have a long future ahead of them and will serve Pakistan for a long time,” Agha remarked, highlighting Muqeem’s growing stature in the national setup.

Muqeem’s remarkable achievement places him among the greatest spinners in T20I cricket, surpassing Imad Wasim’s long-standing record for Pakistan. Wasim’s 9-wicket haul in 2016 had previously been the best by a Pakistani spinner in a 3-match T20I series.

The updated list of most wickets by a spinner in a 3-match T20I series now reads as follows: