Best T20I bowling figures in a losing cause
The fast-paced nature of T20I cricket often puts bowlers under immense pressure. Despite this, there have been instances where individual brilliance has shone through, even when the team has not emerged victorious. One such example is India's Varun Chakravarthy, who recently took five wickets in a match against South Africa but could not secure a win for his team. Here are the best bowling figures in a losing cause for full-member nations in men's T20Is.
Darren Sammy - 5/26 vs Zimbabwe, 2010
The fourth spot is taken by West Indies's Darren Sammy for his performance against Zimbabwe in the 2010 Port of Spain T20I. Despite taking five wickets for just 26 runs, Sammy's team failed to chase down Zimbabwe's modest total of 105. The West Indies ended their innings at 79/7, suffering a shocking defeat by 26 runs.
Matthew Short - 5/22 vs England, 2024
Australia's Matthew Short takes the third spot for his performance against England in 2024. Primarily known as a batter, Short surprised everyone with his bowling skills, picking up five wickets for 22 runs at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. However, his efforts went in vain as Australia lost the match with England chasing down their target of 193/6 with three wickets to spare.
Mustafizur Rahman - 5/22 vs New Zealand, 2016
The second-best bowling figure in a losing cause belongs to Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman. In a 2016 ICC World T20 match against New Zealand at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, Rahman registered five wickets for 22 runs. Despite the brilliant show, Bangladesh failed to chase down New Zealand's total of 145/8 and were bundled out for mere 70 runs, losing by a huge margin of 75 runs.
Varun Chakravarthy - 5/17 vs South Africa, 2024
The top spot for the best bowling figure in a losing cause is occupied by Chakravarthy. His fifer came during India's second match against South Africa at St George's Oval in Gqeberha. The mystery spinner claimed five wickets for just 17 runs to trigger a collapse. Despite his record-breaking performance, India failed to defend their paltry total of 124/6 and lost the match by three wickets.
