India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah reached the milestone of 100 T20I wickets on Tuesday during the first match of the series in Cuttack. Needing just one wicket entering the game, Bumrah had multiple close calls from his very first over before finally achieving the landmark.
The India speedster completed the feat in the 11th over with the dismissal of Dewald Brevis. With that wicket, Bumrah became only the second Indian to join the 100-wicket club, behind Arshdeep Singh, who reached the mark earlier this year.
Arshdeep, known for his playful personality, greeted Bumrah with a light-hearted remark that made him sound like the senior member of the group. He walked up to Bumrah, smiled and told him: “Welcome to the 100-wicket club, mate.”
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The left-armer revealed the exchange after the match, leaving commentator Ravi Shastri in laughter. Shastri applauded Arshdeep for getting one over Bumrah at the moment.
“It feels great that Bumrah joined the 100-wicket club too today, so I congratulated him and welcomed him to the club with a smile. Bowling alongside him is always fun. As a group, when every bowler contributes and takes wickets, it makes life so much easier for the captain. He gets flexibility with match-ups, powerplay overs and plans,” Arshdeep told the broadcaster after the game.
Arshdeep bowled superbly, picking up two early wickets before Bumrah’s burst around the tenth over finished off the South African innings.
Reflecting on his bowling, Arshdeep said he had to adjust his lengths constantly based on what the surface offered.
“The thought process was simple. Just run in, use whatever assistance the wicket had, and try to give the team early breakthroughs. There was help on the surface if you hit the seam hard, sometimes extra bounce, sometimes a bit of movement. So the plan was just to stay disciplined and get as much out of the pitch as possible,” Arshdeep said.
“Adjusting lengths happens pretty quickly out there. I bowled full and got a wicket, then bowled full again and it went for four, so that reminder came immediately. Then I dragged the length back, picked up another wicket, bowled full again and got hit again. So the learning curve was happening ball by ball,” he added.
“You do not get too much time to think. The pitch tells you what to do,” the fast bowler concluded.
The Cuttack pitch behaved in an unusual manner, offering plenty of help for seamers who hit the surface hard. Fast bowlers on both sides made life difficult for the batters throughout the match. After South Africa’s early burst reduced India to 175 in their 20 overs, India’s quicks enjoyed themselves on a surface made for them.
Every Indian bowler was among the wickets, dismissing South Africa for just 74, their lowest total in T20I cricket history.
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Published By:
Akshay Ramesh
Published On:
Dec 9, 2025
