IND vs SA: Hardik Pandya etched his name deeper into Indian cricket history on Sunday, December 14, by reaching a landmark no Indian had achieved before in T20 internationals.
The dynamic all-rounder became the first Indian cricketer to complete the rare double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in the shortest format, underlining his immense value as a match-winner across departments.
Pandya reached the 100-wicket milestone during the ongoing India-South Africa T20I at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The historic moment came when he dismissed Tristan Stubbs, taking his tally to 100 wickets in just 122 T20I appearances.
With this, the Baroda-born cricketer joined Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah as the only Indians to
cross the three-figure mark in T20I wickets.
Milestone Moment!
- BCCI (@BCCI) December 14, 2025
That moment when Hardik Pandya became only the third #TeamIndia cricketer (in Men's cricket) to scalp 100 T20I wickets 👏👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/AJZYgMAHc0#INDvSA | @hardikpandya7 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/XYDxMvrEPz
Pandya's T20I journey began nearly a decade ago, when he made his debut against Australia in Adelaide on January 26, 2016. Since then, he has evolved into one of India's most dependable white-ball all-rounders, capable of changing games with both bat and ball. While Arshdeep became India's first bowler to take 100 T20I wickets in September 2025, and Bumrah followed earlier this month, Pandya's achievement stands out due to his dual impact.
On the global stage, the record for most T20I wickets remains with Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan, who has claimed 182 wickets in just 108 matches. However, Pandya's consistency as a seam-bowling all-rounder places him in a special bracket altogether.
In fact, only a handful of players worldwide have managed the 1,000-run and 100-wicket double in T20Is before Pandya. The elite list includes Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza and Malaysia's Virandeep Singh. Pandya now joins this exclusive group, while also becoming just the fourth cricketer overall to complete the triple milestone of 1,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 sixes in T20 internationals.
Pandya reached his 100 sixes for India earlier this week during a blistering unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, further showcasing his explosive batting credentials. With records tumbling and milestones piling up, Hardik Pandya continues to redefine the role of an Indian all-rounder in T20 cricket.
