New Zealand cricket has always found bowlers worth watching.
In Tests, in ODIs, and in T20Is, the Black Caps have produced attack options that regularly trouble the best batting lineups in the world.
The T20I record books tell an interesting story.
Five bowlers sit at the top of the most wickets for New Zealand in T20Is, and they got there in very different ways.
Some through pace, some through spin, some through sheer longevity.
Most Wickets for New Zealand in T20Is
Here’s the full breakdown, updated after Ish Sodhi’s record-breaking moment against Bangladesh in May 2025.
Most Wickets for New Zealand in T20Is: The Top 5
5. Lockie Ferguson — 76 Wickets in 54 Matches
Ferguson’s numbers are built on aggression. In 54 T20I appearances, he has bowled 1,109 balls and taken 76 wickets.
His strike rate of 14.59 is the best of any bowler on this list.
That means he takes a wicket roughly every 14 to 15 balls. In a format where every ball costs runs, that’s a rare trait.
His economy of 7.33 is also the best here. He is not just dangerous; he is controlled.
His 5/21 against the West Indies in Auckland in November 2020 remains his best T20I spell and one of the better fast-bowling performances in New Zealand’s T20I history.
Ferguson debuted for Punjab Kings in the 2026 IPL, lining up against Rajasthan Royals in his first match.
4. Trent Boult — 83 Wickets in 61 Matches
Boult spent much of his career being described as a Test bowler first.
But 83 T20I wickets across 61 matches is a record that holds up in any format.
He averaged 21.43 per wicket and kept his economy at 7.68, with two four-wicket hauls to his name.
His 4/13 against Sri Lanka at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Sydney was the standout.
Sri Lanka’s batting order had no answer for his early swing, and New Zealand cruised to a win.
Boult’s T20I career also benefited from his ability to bowl in the powerplay, where swing matters most.
In a format that gives bowlers very little, early wickets are currency.
3. Mitchell Santner — 142 Wickets in 138 Matches
Santner is the most economical bowler on this list.
His 7.17 economy across 138 T20I matches is exceptional for a spinner operating in a format where batters attack every delivery.
His 142 wickets came at a strike rate of 19.9, which means he takes a wicket roughly every 20 balls.
That is good, not exceptional, but his control more than makes up for it.
Santner doesn’t just hold an end; he takes wickets at crucial moments.
His 4/11 against India at Nagpur in the 2016 T20 World Cup is still talked about.
He dismissed Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, and Hardik Pandya in the same spell.
New Zealand beat India in that match, and Santner’s bowling was the reason.
He picked up a shoulder injury during IPL 2026 with the Mumbai Indians and has been sidelined since.
2. Tim Southee — 164 Wickets in 126 Matches
Southee’s T20I record often gets overshadowed by his Test career. That’s understandable.
He played 107 Tests, captained New Zealand, and retired from the five-day game in December 2024 as one of the country’s finest.
But 164 T20I wickets across 126 games is a serious career.
His economy of 8.00 was slightly on the expensive side, but his strike rate of 16.7 kept him in teams because he took wickets.
His best figures, 5/18 against Pakistan in Auckland in December 2010, came early in his T20I career and showed that he could be as destructive with the white ball in short formats as in any other.
He finishes his international career as New Zealand’s second-highest T20I wicket-taker, separated from the record by a single wicket.
1. Ish Sodhi — 165 Wickets in 141 Matches
Sodhi became the outright leader when he dismissed Bangladesh’s Shamim Hossain in Dhaka on 2 May 2025.
It was his only wicket in that game, a 22-run spell from three overs, but it was the one that mattered most.
New Zealand won the third T20I against Bangladesh via the DLS method, chasing 103.
Sodhi’s contribution was small on the scorecard and enormous in the record books.
From 141 T20I matches, Sodhi has 165 wickets at an economy of 8.16 and a strike rate of 16.92.
He also holds the New Zealand record for four-wicket hauls in T20Is, with four instances across 465.2 overs.
Leg-spin is difficult to bowl and difficult to execute consistently.
Sodhi has done it for over a decade at the international level, across home and away conditions.
This record belongs to the right person.
Career Stats Comparison
| Rank | Player | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ish Sodhi | 141 | 165 | 8.16 | 16.92 | — |
| 2 | Tim Southee | 126 | 164 | 8.00 | 16.70 | 5/18 |
| 3 | Mitchell Santner | 138 | 142 | 7.17 | 19.90 | 4/11 |
| 4 | Trent Boult | 61 | 83 | 7.68 | — | 4/13 |
| 5 | Lockie Ferguson | 54 | 76 | 7.33 | 14.59 | 5/21 |
Three Things This List Tells Us About New Zealand’s Bowling
- Spinners outlast seamers in T20Is. Sodhi (141 matches) and Santner (138) have played far more T20Is than Boult (61) and Ferguson (54). Spin tends to age better in the format, and both New Zealand spinners have taken full advantage.
- Control beats pace. Ferguson has the best strike rate on the list. But Santner’s economy and Southee’s longevity suggest that wickets through control can sustain a longer career than wickets through raw speed.
- These five covered 20+ years of T20I cricket. Southee’s first wicket came around 2008. Sodhi is still playing in 2025. This list is not one era. It is the whole story of New Zealand’s T20I bowling history.
FAQs
- Who has the most wickets for New Zealand in T20Is?
Ish Sodhi leads with 165 T20I wickets from 141 matches, as of May 2025. He broke the record during New Zealand’s series against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
- Is Tim Southee still playing T20Is for New Zealand?
Southee retired from Test cricket in December 2024, but his T20I career record stands at 164 wickets from 126 matches, placing him second on New Zealand’s all-time list.
- What is Mitchell Santner’s economy rate in T20Is?
Santner has an economy of 7.17 across 138 T20I matches, which is the best among New Zealand’s top five wicket-takers in the format.
How many T20I wickets does Lockie Ferguson have?
Ferguson has 76 T20I wickets from 54 matches, with a strike rate of 14.59 and an economy of 7.33. His best spell is 5/21 against the West Indies.
- When did Ish Sodhi break the New Zealand T20I wicket record?
Sodhi broke the record on 2 May 2025 in the third T20I against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
- Who has the most four-wicket hauls for New Zealand in T20Is?
Ish Sodhi holds that record too, with four four-wicket hauls across his T20I career.
Conclusion:
Ish Sodhi’s place at the top of New Zealand’s T20I wicket list is well-earned.
He has bowled leg-spin at the international level longer than most bowlers survive in any format, and he has done it consistently enough to overtake everyone who came before him.
The four bowlers behind him, Southee, Santner, Boult, and Ferguson, form one of the more well-rounded bowling groups any team has produced across a generation of T20I cricket.
Also Check:
About the Author
