![Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1777728815543_IshSodhiandTimSouthee.jpg?type=hq)
Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee [Source: AFP]
After a series tie against Bangladesh, Ish Sodhi became the highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in T20Is. The veteran New Zealand spinner scalped just one wicket in the third T20I of Bangladesh vs New Zealand on May 2 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium to etch his name in the record books.
However, New Zealand's bowling tally has always been decorated with talented names, and Sodhi surpassed legends to secure his name as the highest wicket-taker in the shortest format of the game.
Hence, let's take a look at the best five New Zealand bowlers who took the most wickets for the country in T20I cricket.
5) Lockie Ferguson- 76 wickets
Lockie Ferguson has been one of the highest wicket-takers for the Black Caps throughout his career in T20I cricket, where he has played 54 games and bowled 1,109 balls across 184.5 overs to take 76 wickets.
Throughout his span, Ferguson, who debuted for Punjab Kings in their Rajasthan Royals clash in IPL 2026, has an economy rate of 7.33 in the format, as he is also a strike bowler who boasts a strike rate of 14.59.
His best bowling figures remain a 5/21 spell, which he achieved against the West Indies in Auckland on November 27, 2020, with a match-winning performance against the Caribbeans.
4) Trent Boult- 83 wickets
Trent Boult, another gun pacer of New Zealand and a veteran who debuted in the format back in February 2013, has played 61 T20I matches. Boult has 83 wickets to his name from his 1,389 deliveries bowled.
He averages 21.43 in the format at an economy rate of 7.68 while also having two four-wicket hauls in his career.
His famous 4/13 came against Sri Lanka during the T20 World Cup 2022 in Sydney, where he was responsible for dismantling Sri Lanka's top order and handing the Kiwis a respectable win with his four-wicket haul.
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3) Mitchell Santner- 142 wickets
Mitchell Santner, the crafty spin-bowling all-rounder of the BlackCaps, has 142 wickets to his name in the format.
Santner, who has currently been ruled out due to a nasty shoulder injury during his stint in IPL 2026 for the Mumbai Indians, has been a prolific wicket-taker as well as a handy run-getter for his national side.
In the T20 format, Santner has played 138 matches while maintaining a very impressive economy rate of 7.17 and a strike rate of 19.9.
Mitchell Santner's best in this format, 4 for 11, came against India at Nagpur during the T20 World Cup 2016, where his match-winning spell dismantled batting greats.
Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, and Hardik Pandya, among others, were toppled by Santner to produce one of the best bowling figures by a New Zealander in the T20 World Cup.
2) Tim Southee- 164 wickets
The 37-year-old Tim Southee, who retired from international Test cricket in December 2024, has also been a legend of the game. Southee is one who also captained New Zealand's Test side when Kane Williamson stood down from the role back in 2022. However, apart from his captaincy stint, his marvels with the ball were one to talk about.
In the T20I format, he played 126 games to scalp 164 wickets, becoming the sixth-highest wicket-taker for New Zealand in the format. However, his economy rate was a bit on the expensive side at 8.00, while he was a strike bowler with a strike rate of 16.7.
His best figures read 5/18, which came against Pakistan in Auckland back in December 2010 during a Pakistan tour of New Zealand.
Southee, who remains a key figure in the formation of New Zealand's rising youngsters, is now the second-highest wicket-taker for his nation in T20Is, while Ish Sodhi leads the pack.
1) Ish Sodhi- 165 wickets
Ish Sodhi, the crafty 33-year-old leg-break bowler for the Black Caps, became the highest wicket-taker in the T20I format for New Zealand after his scalp of Shamim Hossain in the third T20I of Bangladesh vs New Zealand.
In the match, Sodhi gave away only 22 runs from his three overs while picking up one wicket as New Zealand won the match by chasing a target of 103 via the DLS method.
More importantly, Sodhi has been a strike bowler for New Zealand for many years since his debut. From 141 games, he has managed to take 164-165 wickets at an economy rate of 8.16 and a strike rate of 16.92.
He also has the most number of four-wicket hauls for New Zealand, accounting for four instances of taking four wickets, from the 465.2 overs he bowled in the format.
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