In the world of T20 cricket, the artistry of left-arm spinners rarely matches up with the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Shakib Al Hasan. One is a wrist-spinning Indian magician, making batters hop on their heels, and the other is a legendary all-rounder from Bangladesh who has led his team to victory on an innumerable number of occasions. However, it does beg the question, how do their careers compare to each other when observing their first 42 T20 internationals?
Wickets and Averages – Kuldeep’s Red-Hot Start vs Shakib’s Steady Build
Let’s start with the numbers every spinner loves to brag about—wickets. After 42 T20Is, Kuldeep is way ahead with 76 scalps at a jaw-dropping average of 13.10. That’s not just good; that’s video-game levels of dominance. His spells against England (average of 9.62) and West Indies (17 wickets in nine games) show that he doesn’t just shine against minnows—he does it against the big boys too.
At that stage of his career, Shakib has taken 50 wickets at an average of 20.96. That’s still a decent number, but perhaps more impressive than anything Kuldeep has done. The only difference being, Shakib was never simply a bowler. He always held a batting role for Bangladesh, and thus, sometimes his workload bowling was shared with an increased burden of batting. This obviously did not take away from his ability to consistently find success bowling against teams like the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
Economy Rates – Both Masters of Control
Wickets are flashy, but in T20s, economy rate is the silent assassin. Bowlers who can choke runs force mistakes, and that’s where both these left-armers shine. Kuldeep’s economy rate after 42 games stands at 6.66. Pretty tidy, especially for someone who’s always attacking for wickets. Against New Zealand and England, he was miserly, while his slightly higher 8.94 against South Africa shows that even the best can be tested.
Shakib’s number? 6.71. Almost identical. But here’s the catch—his economy came with the responsibility of bowling in pressure situations for Bangladesh, often in games where their bowling depth wasn’t the strongest. Holding an economy under seven while carrying the team is no small feat. In fact, his 5.78 economy against Pakistan is elite-level control.
Match-Winners and Big Hauls
Nothing excites fans more than a bowler running through a batting lineup, and Kuldeep has given us plenty of that. By 42 T20Is, he already had two five-fers and two four-fers. His best of 5-17 against South Africa in Johannesburg and the recent 4-7 against the UAE in Dubai scream “game-changer.” Whenever he gets on a roll, you know a collapse is coming.
Shakib wasn’t far behind, though. He picked up two four-fers in his first 42 games, including 4-21 against Zimbabwe and 4-34 against West Indies way back in the 2007 T20 World Cup. But again, remember—Shakib was splitting his impact between bat and ball. Kuldeep’s numbers scream destruction, while Shakib’s show resilience and versatility. Different roles, same influence.
FAQs
1. Who has more wickets after 42 T20Is, Kuldeep Yadav or Shakib Al Hasan?
Kuldeep Yadav has 76 wickets, while Shakib Al Hasan has 50.
2. Whose bowling average is better after 42 T20Is?
Kuldeep’s average is 13.10, much better than Shakib’s 20.96.
3. Who has the better economy rate after 42 T20Is?
Kuldeep has 6.66, while Shakib is close with 6.71.
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