Australia, a nation renowned for producing world-class bowlers, has several players who have mastered the art of striking at crucial moments. In the fast-paced T20 cricket format, wickets are considered the game-changers that make or break a team’s momentum.
5. Ashton Agar – 49 Wickets
- Matches: 49
- Career: 2016 – present
- Best Innings Figure: 6/30
- Bowling Style: Slow Left arm Orthodox
Ashton Agar stands as the first and only teenage Australian spinner to take a Test wicket. He picked up Alastair Cook as his maiden victim. Ashton Agar’s 6/30 against New Zealand in 2021 is also recorded as the best bowling figure for Australia in T20Is.
4. Pat Cummins – 66 Wickets
- Matches: 57
- Career: 2011 – present
- Best Innings Figure: 3/15
- Bowling Style: Right arm Fast
Cummins brings leadership, composure, and big-match temperament. He was a crucial element of Australia’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2021. By 2023, he had also led the team to the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. However, injuries and workload management issues have impacted his career, limiting his appearances.
3. Josh Hazlewood – 70 Wickets
- Matches: 53
- Career: 2013 – present
- Best Innings Figure: 4/12
- Bowling Style: Right arm Fast medium
Renowned for his immaculate line and length, he thrives on building pressure. He forces bowlers into making mistakes rather than solely relying on extravagant moments. Hazlewood was second only to Adam Zampa among Australia’s bowlers in their 2021 T20 and 2023 ODI World Cup wins.
2. Mitchell Starc – 79 Wickets
- Matches: 65
- Career: 2012 – present
- Best Innings Figure: 4/20
- Bowling Style: Left arm Fast
Mitchell Starc will go down as one of the finest Australian bowlers across all three formats. By the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup, he was the leading wicket-taker across all World Cups. He was instrumental in Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup triumph, picking up four wickets in the final at crucial times.
1. Adam Zampa – 127 Wickets
- Matches – 101
- Career: 2016 – present
- Best Innings Figure: 5/19
- Bowling Style: Legbreak Googly
His focus on control, as well as subtle changes in pace and variations, has been pivotal for Australia in picking up so many runs. He was a key figure in Australia’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2021, finishing second on the wickets chart with 13 wickets to his name.
Conclusion
These bowlers have set the benchmark together for what is expected from Australian bowlers in the fast-paced white-ball format. Their ability to remain calm under pressure as well as to deliver match-winning spells has been key to Australia’s success in T20Is.
Written by – Thillai Ritvik
