After the 2024 T20 World Cup, Tabraiz Shamsi is the leading wicket-taker for the Proteas in T20 Internationals, closely followed by Kagiso Rabada.
The Proteas played their first T20I on October 21, 2005, against New Zealand at the Wanderers, marking the third international match in this format. Since then, T20 cricket has skyrocketed in popularity, becoming the most watched format, particularly due to lucrative TV deals.
Who Has Taken the Most T20I Wickets for the Proteas Men’s Team?
Following the 2024 T20 World Cup, Tabraiz Shamsi stands as the Proteas’ leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals. Shamsi has taken 89 wickets in 70 T20Is, claiming a wicket roughly every 17 balls he bowls. He is also the fifth most-capped player for the Proteas in this format, behind David Miller, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, and AB de Villiers. Shamsi’s best performance includes a five-wicket haul, taking 5 for 24 against England at the Rose Bowl in 2022.
Kagiso Rabada holds second place with 71 wickets in 65 matches. Remarkably, Rabada has never taken more than three wickets in a single T20I but maintains a consistent wicket-taking rate.
Now retired, Dale Steyn is in third place with 64 wickets. However, Lungi Ngidi is close behind with 62 wickets in just 42 matches. Ngidi missed the T20 World Cup due to workload management following an injury but is expected to surpass Steyn soon upon his return to the format.
Among Proteas players with 50 or more wickets in T20Is, Ngidi boasts the second-best strike rate, just behind Imran Tahir, who also completes the top five wicket-takers for South Africa in this format.
