Kuala Lumpur, Jul 26 (PTI) Little known Malaysia seamer Syazrul Idrus on Wednesday became the first male cricketer to take seven wickets in a T20 International when he achieved the feat against China in the opening game of the T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier here.

Idrus’ astonishing figures of 7 wickets for 8 runs, the best bowling figures in a men’s T20I, helped Malaysia record a commanding eight-wicket victory over China at Bayuemas Oval. All his seven wickets were bowled dismissals.

The 32-year-old, who played in 22 T20Is before Wednesday, broke Nigerian Peter Aho’s earlier record for the best bowling figures in a men’s T20Is. Aho had picked up 6 wickets for 5 against Sierra Leone in 2021.

Among full members of the ICC, India’s Deepak Chahar holds the record of best bowling figures in a T20I, with his 6 wickets for 7 runs against Bangladesh in 2019 being the joint-third best overall alongside Dinesh Nakrani, who registered the same figures for Uganda against Lesotho in 2021.

Frederique Overdijk of the Netherlands, however, holds the best bowling figures — male and female — in a T20I with her 7 wickets for 3 runs against France in 2021.

A total of 12 bowlers had previously claimed six-wicket hauls in a men’s T20I — including Chahar and another Indian Yuzvendra Chahal, Australia spinner Ashton Agar and Sri Lanka tweaker Ajantha Mendis — but an elusive seven-wicket haul had never been recorded until Idrus’ amazing effort.

Electing to bat first, China were all out for just 23 runs in 11.2 overs with none of their batters scoring in double digits with Idrus single-handedly ripping through the batting line-up. Opener Wei Guo Lei was the top scorer with 7. Six Chinese batters were out for nought.

Malaysia chased down the target in 4.5 overs, reaching 24 for 2.

The winner of this tournament will progress to the Asia Regional Final in Nepal in November, with the two leading teams from that event then making it through to the T20 World Cup in 2024.

Source: PTI News