Top powerplay bowlers for T20 World Cup 2026: Five bowlers who have excelled in T20s and IPL matches in India since 2024.
Powerplays in T20s are often decisive, or at least influential, in determining the outcome of most matches. The first six overs of the innings dictate the game’s momentum, challenging the bowlers to outsmart the batters, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. The phase sets the foundation for teams, and the trend will remain the same in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Post the previous 20-over World Cup, Pakistan have been the most successful team inside the powerplay among the 20 participating countries of the upcoming edition. They have picked up 95 T20I wickets in 47 innings at an average of 24.60 and an economy rate of 8.29. India are fourth in the list with 67 wickets in 39 T20I innings at an economy rate of 8.31.
Since the beginning of 2024, India’s Arshdeep Singh has been the leading powerplay wicket-taker with 26 wickets in T20s in India. The Blue Brigade’s Harshit Rana is second on the list among those players who are part of the T20 World Cup 2026. The Delhi-born has collected 15 wickets but at an expensive economy rate of 9.79. This is why he hasn’t been considered in the list below.
Read More: Arshdeep Singh needs to work on his economy going into T20 World Cup 2026
Most powerplay wickets in T20s in India since 2024 (part of T20 WC 2026)
| Player | Inns | Wkts | Avg | SR | Eco | BBI | 4s/6s |
| A Singh | 44 | 26 | 29.88 | 20.31 | 8.83 | 3/10 | 114/19 |
| H Rana | 27 | 15 | 27.40 | 16.80 | 9.79 | 3/18 | 40/26 |
| Varun C | 39 | 12 | 23.58 | 20.50 | 6.90 | 2/2 | 31/10 |
| Bumrah | 29 | 11 | 27.09 | 23.45 | 6.93 | 2/9 | 29/12 |
| J Archer | 16 | 10 | 30.30 | 21.60 | 8.42 | 2/15 | 38/11 |
Let’s take a look at the top 5 powerplay bowlers (part of T20 WC 2026) in T20s in India since 2024:
Arshdeep Singh (India)
Since 2024, Arshdeep Singh has been the most successful powerplay bowler in India in T20s with 26 wickets at an economy rate of 8.83. Around the world, he has picked up 41 wickets in the powerplay of 63 T20I innings at an economy rate of 8.56 during the same period.
Out of 26 wickets for Arshdeep in powerplay of T20s in India, out of 28 innings, 19 have come in victories. His economy slights drops to 8.70 in that aspect at a fine strike rate of 18. The left-arm pacer has been smashed for 114 boundaries during the powerplay in T20s at home. And this is where he will look to improve during the T20 World Cup 2026.
Varun Chakravarthy (India)
Varun Chakravarthy is the third leading T20 wicket-taker inside the powerplay among the WC participating players since 2024 in India. The leg-spinner has collected 12 wickets in 39 innings at an average of 23.58 and a strike rate of 20.50. His economy rate of under seven reflects his incredible control of the ball.
In victories, Chakravarthy has collected nine T20 wickets in India inside the powerplay in the last 25 months. Across the world, the Chennai-born has bagged 19 T20 wickets inside the first six overs in the same duration. His average comes down to 19.42 at an impressive economy rate of just 6.83. India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, can use the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner as a trump card in the team.
Read More: How teams have bowled phase-wise in T20Is post T20 WC 2024 (Test-playing nations)
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah is the fourth leading T20 wicket-taker inside the powerplay among the WC-engaged players since 2024 in India. The right-arm pacer has pocketed 11 wickets in 29 innings of this facet at an average of 27.09. Incredibly, Bumrah holds an economy rate of under seven in 43 overs.
When his team wins, Bumrah’s strike rate drops to 16.50 at an economy rate of 6.86 for his eight wickets in 15 innings. Overall, Bumrah has recorded 19 T20 wickets across the world inside the first six overs of the innings at an economy rate of 6.58 since 2024. This is what makes him special and draws a line from others.
Jofra Archer (England)
In the same way, Jofra Archer is the fifth leading T20I wicket-taker in India inside the powerplay in the last 25 months. The Barbados-born has registered 10 wickets in 16 innings at an economy rate of 8.42 and a strike rate of 21.60.
In respect of victories in India, Archer has pocketed five T20I wickets inside the first six overs of the innings since 2024. He averages 16 in that aspect at an economy rate of 6.67. England will hope to get more out of him with the new ball. Across the globe, Archer has 23 T20 wickets at an economy rate of 8.34 from the first six overs in the same period.
Read More:Â How teams have batted phase-wise in T20Is post T20 WC 2024 (Test-playing nations)
Josh Hazlewood (Australia)
Josh Hazlewood won’t be a part of Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign for the first few games due to his recovery. He is the sixth leading T20 wicket-taker in India inside the first six overs since 2024. The New South Wales bowler has picked up 10 wickets in 12 innings at an economy rate of 7.27.
In terms of victories, Hazlewood has collected nine wickets in as many innings at an economy rate of 6.94. Across the world, the right-arm pacer has bagged 24 T20 wickets during the powerplay in the last 25 months at an economy rate of 6.58.
The T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 07, with India opening their journey against United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The final takes place on March 08.
Read More: Shivam Dube vs Tim David: Which of these power-hitters will have greater impact in T20 WC 2026?
