New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi etched his name in the record books on July 24 by becoming only the third bowler in men’s T20I history to reach 150 international wickets. The milestone came during the Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Nation Series in Harare, where Sodhi delivered a career-best spell of 4 for 12 to lead New Zealand to a commanding 60-run win over hosts Zimbabwe.
Sodhi, 32, entered the match with 146 wickets and reached the 150 mark in style, tearing through Zimbabwe’s batting line-up with a mixture of accuracy, flight, and subtle variations. His performance not only earned him the Player of the Match award but also propelled him into elite company—joining Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and his fellow Kiwi, Tim Southee, as the only bowlers to have crossed 150 wickets in T20Is.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first at the Harare Sports Club. The opening pair of Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra laid a solid platform, putting together a 108-run partnership for the second wicket. Seifert smashed 75 off 45 balls, while Ravindra contributed a fluent 63 off 39. Michael Bracewell added late acceleration with an unbeaten 26 from 16 deliveries, guiding New Zealand to a strong total of 190 for 6 in 20 overs.
Zimbabwe started their chase aggressively, scoring 21 runs in the first two overs. However, Sodhi was brought into the attack in the third over and made an immediate impact. He removed Brian Bennett with his first delivery and followed up by dismissing Clive Madande and Dion Myers in his next over, halting Zimbabwe’s momentum completely. His fourth wicket came in the 14th over, when he trapped Tony Munyonga, who had been fighting hard with a 40-run effort.
The hosts were eventually bowled out for 130 in 18.5 overs. Supporting Sodhi’s brilliance were Matt Henry, Michael Bracewell, Will O’Rourke, and Zakary Foulkes, who all chipped in with wickets. The dominant performance maintained New Zealand’s unbeaten record in the tri-series, where they had already defeated both Zimbabwe and South Africa in the earlier rounds.
Reflecting on his achievement after the game, Sodhi acknowledged the significance of the milestone, stating that reaching 150 wickets in a high-stakes match was particularly meaningful. He also shared his satisfaction in being trusted to bowl during the powerplay—a newer role he has taken on with enthusiasm and success during this series.
With this win, New Zealand secured their spot in the final, set to take place on July 26 against South Africa. The team is in strong form and will look to carry their momentum into the decider. Following the T20I series, they will remain in Zimbabwe for a two-Test series, with Michael Bracewell set to replace the injured Glenn Phillips in the red-ball squad.
Ish Sodhi’s landmark moment not only underlines his importance in New Zealand’s white-ball cricket setup but also reinforces his status as one of the most consistent and impactful leg-spinners in the shortest format of the game.