Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga achieved a significant milestone on Monday, February 19, becoming the second-fastest bowler to claim 100 T20 International wickets. He reached this landmark during the second T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla when he bowled out Najibullah Zadran for 9. Hasaranga achieved this feat in his 63rd match.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan holds the record for being the fastest to reach 100 T20I wickets, achieving the milestone in just 53 matches in 2021. Hasaranga is now the second Sri Lankan bowler to claim 100 wickets in the T20I format, following in the footsteps of former skipper Lasith Malinga, who achieved this milestone in 76 matches.
During the second T20I match against Afghanistan, Hasaranga not only reached the 100-wicket mark but also contributed with the bat, scoring 22 runs off 9 balls. Sri Lanka posted a total of 187/6 in their innings, with Sadeera Samarawickrama top-scoring with 51 off 42 balls, and Angelo Mathews adding an unbeaten 42 off 22 balls.
In response, Afghanistan could only manage 115 runs in 17 overs, with Mathews, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, and Hasaranga claiming two wickets each. Hasaranga’s bowling was particularly impressive, as he bowled a crucial spell that included dismissing Najibullah Zadran, helping Sri Lanka secure a convincing 72-run victory.
After the match, Hasaranga expressed his delight at reaching the milestone but remained focused on the future, saying, “Still a long way to go. I trust my variations.” He credited the team’s batting for setting up the win and emphasized the importance of testing their bench strength in the remaining matches before the World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s victory in the second T20I gave them a 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the third T20I scheduled to be played in Dambulla on Wednesday, February 21.
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