T20 World Cup 2024: All the milestones so far

Amidst the stunning upsets, and nail-biting thrillers, several cricketing milestones have been achieved during the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.

A glance at the statistical wonders from this edition of the cricket's showpiece event.

Most Wickets in Men's World Cups

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has engraved his name atop an elite list having picked up the most wickets in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup (ODI) and the Men's T20 World Cup combined.

When he beat the bat of Tanzid Hasan during Australia's win over Bangladesh in Super Eight, Starc improved his total to 95 World Cup wickets, one ahead of Sri Lanka legend Lasith Malinga.

Most wickets in Men's World Cups (ODIs and T20Is)
Player                           Nation              Wickets in CWC/T20WC    Total Wickets in World Cups
Mitchell Starc                Australia                 65/30                                    95
Lasith Malinga              Sri Lanka                56/38                                    94
Shakib Al Hasan          Bangladesh             43/49                                     92
Trent Boult                   New Zealand           53/34                                     87
Muttiah Muralitharan    Sri Lanka                 68/11                                    79

West Indies equal the record for most runs in a T20I over
A record set back in the early days of the Men's T20 World Cup was equalled by West Indies when they scored 36 runs off the fourth over of their final group game against Afghanistan.

26 off these runs came off the willow of Nicholas Pooran, who hit three sixes and two fours in the over. Courtesy his explosive knock of 98, the Windies eased past Afghanistan with a convincing 104-run win.

This 36-run over equalled the record for most runs in a T20I over. While this instance has occurred four more times, it was only the second occasion in Men's T20I World Cup. The first instance was in the inaugural event in South Africa, where Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for 36 runs.

Hat-trick stars
Facing Bangladesh in the Super Eights, Australia star pacer Pat Cummins bagged himself the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup this year, by picking up the wickets of Mohammad Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy in the last two balls of the 18th over and the first ball of the final over respectively.

In Australia's very next Super Eight encounter, Cummins repeated the feat, thus becoming the first-ever player to secure back-to-back hat-tricks in consecutive T20 World Cup games. He dismissed Rashid Khan, Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naib off three consecutive deliveries in the 18th and the 20th over.

The hat-trick fever soon reached the other group, where Chris Jordan got a hat-trick against USA while ensuring that England made it to the final four. Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, and Saurabh Netravalkar were his three victims.

This is just the second T20 World Cup after 2021 to feature three hat-tricks. The previous T20 World Cup hat-trick holders are: Brett Lee (2007), Curtis Campher (2021), Wanindu Hasaranga (2021), Kagiso Rabada (2021), Karthik Meiyappan (2022), and Josh Little (2022).

Record Partnerships
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (76 runs in 45 balls) and Ibrahim Zadran (70 runs in 46 balls) set the second-highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history with a 154 run stand in Afghanistan's win over Uganda by 125 runs in their opening fixture.

They sit behind the duo of England openers Alex Hales (86 runs in 47 balls) and Jos Buttler (80 runs in 49 balls), who registered a 170-run partnership in the semi-final of the Men's T20 World Cup 2022, against India, showcasing a memorable 10-wicket win.

Highest opening partnership in Men's T20 World Cup
Players                                                               Country                   Against                      Year                Runs
Alex Hales and Jos Buttler                                 England                 India                           2022                170
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran         Afghanistan           Uganda                       2024                154
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam               Pakistan                 India                            2021                 152
Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle                        West Indies            South Africa                 2007                 145
Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal                       Pakistan                 Bangladesh                 2010                  142
On the deep end, Sherfane Rutherford (68 runs in 39 balls) and Gudakesh Motie set the record for the highest-ever partnership for the 10th wicket, registering 37 runs against New Zealand in their Group C encounter. This record stand was built in the final two overs, and helped West Indies overcome a poor start to post a winning total.

Most catches in a T20 World Cup game

In the ongoing edition of the Men's T20 World Cup, Glenn Maxwell (Australia) and Aiden Markram (South Africa), have equalled Daren Sammy's record of four successful catches in a single innings. Sammy's record from back in 2010 was leveled by Maxwell when Australia locked horns with Namibia in Group B, followed by Aiden Markram equalling it against Bangladesh in their Group D encounter.

Most catches in a T20 World Cup game
Player                                Country                         Against                      Year    Catches
Daren Sammy                   West Indies                  Ireland                        2010    4
Aiden Markram                  South Africa                  Bangladesh                2024    4
Glenn Maxwell                   Australia                       Namibia                      2024    4
Brett Lee                           Australia                        Sri Lanka                    2007    3
Sulieman Benn                 West Indies                    Australia                     2009    3
 

Aaron Jones equals Chris Gayle for the record of most sixes in a T20 World Cup innings
USA captain Aaron Jones wrote his name into the history books not only for pulling the co-hosts up against neighbouring rivals Canada in the tournament opener, leading to their historic maiden win in the contest but also a created a milestone with the bat.

Jones smashed a record 10 sixes in the Group A opener against Canada, amassing 94 runs off just 40 balls. Only West Indian icon Chris Gayle has smashed more (11 sixes) in the competition, against England, back in 2016.

Two West Indians, Nicholas Pooran and Shai Hope, also made it into the list at the joint third place. Pooran hit eight maximums against Afghanistan, whereas Hope hit the same number against the USA.

Most sixes in a T20 World Cup match
Player                                         Country                         Against            Year        6s
Chris Gayle                                West Indies                   England            2016    11
Chris Gayle                                West Indies                   South Africa       2007    10
Aaron Jones                               USA                               Canada              2024    10
Rilee Rossouw                           South Africa                    Bangladesh        2022    8
Nicholas Pooran                        West Indies                     Afghanistan         2024    8
Shai Hope                                  West Indies                      USA                    2024    8

Anrich Nortje becomes the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in Men's T20 World Cups
The South African pace express has been in an exceptional run this tournament. With 11 scalps at an average of mere 12.9, he has been leading the South Africa charge in the tournament.

When he picked the key wicket of Harry Brook in the final over during the riveting England-South Africa encounter, he became the leading wicket-taker for Proteas in the event.

Anrich Nortje produced a career-best performance in T20Is to help bowl Sri Lanka out for 77 and won the Player of the Match award.

Most wickets for South Africa in Men's T20 World Cups
Player                                          Wickets    Average    Best performance in an innings
Anrich Nortje                                31            10.96           4/7
Dale Steyn                                    30             19.30          4/17
Morne Morkel                                24              18.83        4/17
Kagiso Rabada                              24               23.54       3/18
Imran Tahir                                     18               11.88        4/21

Trailblazers from the West Indies
The hosts entertained the home crowd by playing their usual flamboyant style of cricket. A number of Caribbean stars shined in the event.

Among them was Nicholas Pooran, who became the highest run-getter for the West Indies in Men's T20I cricket. He is now the only West Indies men's batter with more than 2000 runs to his name. He overtook Chris Gayle during West Indies' thrilling win against New Zealand. Pooran has 2076 T20I runs to his name.

And during his blazing knock against Afghanistan, Pooran also overtook Gayle as the highest six-hitter for the West Indies. He has 132 sixes now, as compared to Gayle's 124.

In the final Super Eight encounter for the Men in Maroon, Andre Russell (2/19 in the contest) overtook Dwayne Bravo as the West Indian with the most wickets in T20 World Cups. Russell has 29 wickets to his name to Bravo's 27.

Most wickets in T20 World Cup (West Indies)
Player               Wickets    Average    Best Bowling
Andre Russell    29           20.58    3/31
Dwayne Bravo    27         28.96    4/38
Samuel Badree    24       13.58    4/15
Alzarri Joseph    19         13.68    4/16
Ravi Rampaul    17          26.05    3/16