India's pace battery enjoyed a landmark outing during the third T20I against South Africa at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, with Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya both etching their names into the record books.
Leading the attack in the absence of senior quicks, Arshdeep once again underlined his importance with an early breakthrough that carried historic significance.
The left-arm pacer struck inside the opening over, removing South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks without conceding a run. Hendricks was initially given not out after being struck on the pads, but Arshdeep was confident enough to urge captain Suryakumar Yadav to go upstairs. Replays confirmed the delivery would have crashed into the stumps, forcing the on-field umpire to overturn
the decision. The dismissal gave South Africa an early setback and handed Arshdeep a major personal milestone.
With that wicket, Arshdeep moved past Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become India's most successful bowler in the powerplay phase of T20 internationals. He now has 48 wickets in the first six overs, overtaking Bhuvneshwar's tally of 47. The achievement further strengthens Arshdeep's status as India's leading wicket-taker in the format. On the global stage, the record for most powerplay wickets in T20Is is held by former New Zealand seamer Tim Southee, who claimed 58, followed by Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi with 55.
The night grew even more special for India as Hardik Pandya reached a significant milestone of his own. The Baroda all-rounder picked up his 100th T20I wicket by dismissing Tristan Stubbs, becoming only the third Indian bowler to achieve the feat. Pandya now joins Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah in an exclusive club, highlighting the depth and quality of India's fast-bowling resources.
Arshdeep had earlier become India's first bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets during the Asia Cup in 2025, while Bumrah crossed the mark earlier in the India-South Africa series. Together, the trio represent a new era of Indian pace bowling in T20 cricket.
With records falling and early wickets setting the tone, India's bowlers once again showcased their growing dominance in the shortest format.
