Axar Patel becomes first Indian to reach 3,000 T20 runs and 300 wickets in Auckland
Axar Patel became the first Indian to complete the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets in men's T20 cricket during India’s fourth T20I against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, October 30, when he dismissed Finn Allen. The landmark arrived in a match in which Patel conceded heavily, producing expensive figures for India.
Patel, 32, joined an international list of players who have reached the 3,000-run, 300-wicket mark in T20s, a group that includes Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Nabi, Shadab Khan, Jason Holder, David Willey, Imad Wasim, Samit Patel, David Wiese, Roelof van der Merwe, Shahid Afridi, Kieron Pollard, Sam Curran and Liam Dawson. Across T20 cricket he has scored 3,818 runs at an average of 21.94 and a strike rate of 134.43, has taken 300 wickets in 345 matches and has recorded nine half-centuries.
In the Auckland game Patel’s bowling return read 3-0-43-1, an economy rate of 14.33. His solitary wicket was Finn Allen, who made 31 off 17 balls before being caught by Abhishek Sharma at deep extra cover.
With the bat, Patel contributed seven runs from nine deliveries during India’s chase before Mitchell Santner dismissed him caught and bowled. Those runs were part of a reply that never gained traction after an early collapse.
New Zealand posted 259 for seven, with Glenn Phillips scoring 107 off 49 balls, including 10 sixes, and Michael Bracewell making 65 off 25. Phillips and Bracewell combined for a 115-run partnership off 41 balls that propelled New Zealand past the 250 mark.
India’s innings began disastrously when Jacob Duffy removed Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in the opening over. Abhishek Sharma scored 27, Naman Dhir made 28 and Tilak Varma added 35, but India finished at 172 for nine in their 20 overs.
The 87-run defeat ended India’s chance of a clean sweep, though they retained a 3-1 lead in the five-match series after having won the first three games.
