Most Expensive T20I Five-Wicket Haul: Arshdeep Singh Makes History vs New Zealand

India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh etched his name into the record books on Saturday, albeit for an unwanted reason, after finishing with the most expensive five-wicket haul in men's T20I history. Arshdeep returned figures of 5 for 51 from four overs during the fifth T20I against New Zealand in Trivandrum, a match India still won comfortably by 46 runs to clinch the series 4-1.

Arshdeep's spell was chaotic, dramatic, and decisive in patches. He began on an expensive note, conceding 17 runs in the first over, but managed to strike immediately by dismissing Tim Seifert off the final ball.

His second over proved even more punishing. Finn Allen went after him mercilessly, smashing a six and four boundaries as Arshdeep leaked 23 runs. Just when his

night threatened to spiral, Arshdeep pulled it back with a burst that changed the rhythm of the chase.

Returning in the 12th over, he struck with his first two balls, removing a set Rachin Ravindra and then dismissing Mitchell Santner. He came back again in the 16th over and, despite conceding two early boundaries, snapped up the wickets of Kyle Jamieson and Daryl Mitchell to complete his five-wicket haul.

The figures- 4-0-51-5 - pushed Arshdeep past Alzarri Joseph, who had previously held the record for the costliest five-for in T20Is.

The damage with the ball, however, had little bearing on the result. India had already buried New Zealand under a mountain of runs, posting 271 for 5, the second-highest match aggregate in T20I history, powered by Ishan Kishan's breathtaking maiden T20I century and captain Suryakumar Yadav's blistering fifty. With such a target on the board, New Zealand was always chasing a lost cause.

Arshdeep Singh tops this unique list

Arshdeep's spell now tops a short but striking list of costly five-wicket hauls in T20 internationals. Before him, the record belonged to Alzarri Joseph, who returned figures of 5 for 40 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2023. Despite the runs conceded, Joseph's wickets - including Quinton de Kock, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen - underlined how impact can outweigh economy in T20 cricket.

Another name on the list is Lungi Ngidi, who picked up 5 for 39 against England in Bristol in 2022. Like Arshdeep, Ngidi mixed expensive overs with wicket-taking bursts, highlighting the fine margins fast bowlers operate within in the shortest format.

Arshdeep's night in Trivandrum followed a similar script: punished when he missed his lengths, lethal when he found them. In the end, his five wickets, combined with India's overwhelming batting display, ensured the record remained a statistical footnote rather than a match-defining flaw, as India wrapped up their T20 World Cup preparations on a dominant note.