Stats and records of Fazalhaq Farooqi in T20 WC 2024
Afghanistan's campaign in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign ended with a humiliating nine-wicket loss against South Africa in the first semi-final. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a dream run as the team qualified for its maiden semi-final appearance in ICC World Cups (including ODIs). Pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was instrumental to their success. Let's decode his stats and records in the 2024 T20 WC.
Farooqi goes past Hasaranga
Farooqi finished with 17 wickets from 8 matches at 9.41. His economy rate read 6.31. Notably, the left-arm pacer claimed one four-fer and a fifer. As per ESPNcricinfo, Farooqi broke the record of Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in terms of most wickets in an edition of the T20 World Cup. Hasaranga claimed 16 scalps in the 2021 edition at 9.75.
Fourth-best bowling figures in T20 WC history
Farooqi starred with a stunning five-wicket haul as Afghanistan thrashed Uganda by 125 runs in their opener. The youngster claimed the fourth-best bowling figures in T20 WC history (5/9 in four overs). He is only behind Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis (6/8 vs Zimbabwe, 2012), SL's Rangana Herath (5/3 vs New Zealand, 2014), and Pakistan's Umar Gul (5/6 versus NZ, 2009).
First bowler with successive T20 WC four-fers
Farooqi backed his 5/9 against Uganda with a match-winning 4/17 in 3.2 overs in his succeeding outing against New Zealand. He hence became the first bowler to claim at least four wickets in successive T20 WC matches. Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman is the only other left-arm pacer with multiple T20 WC four-plus wicket-hauls (2).
One of the four bowlers with this feat
The Uganda game saw Farooqi dismiss Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa in the innings' first over. Ruben Trumpelmann, Arshdeep Singh, and Shaheen Afridi are the only other bowlers to take multiple wickets in the first over of the innings in this tourney. All the four aforementioned bowlers happen to be left-arm pacers.