Auckland, In a historic achievement, New Zealand’s Tim Southee has become the first bowler to take 150 wickets in Men’s T20 Internationals during the first T20I against Pakistan at Eden Park.

According to International Cricket Council, Southee reached this milestone on Friday in Auckland, where he secured impressive figures of 4/25 in his four-over spell against Pakistan. Abbas Afridi was his 150th victim in T20Is. Southee, who debuted in T20I in 2008, has now surpassed other prominent bowlers like Shakib Al Hasan and Rashid Khan in the T20I wickets tally.

With a total of 151 wickets in men’s T20Is, Southee leads the chart ahead of Shakib Al Hasan (140 wickets) and Rashid Khan (130 wickets). He also has over 746 international wickets across formats, including more than 350 in Test cricket.

In the match at Eden Park, Southee’s performance was crucial in dismissing key Pakistani batsmen Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abbas Afridi, and Haris Rauf, contributing to New Zealand’s 46-run victory. This win has given New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series, with the next T20I scheduled to be played on Sunday in Hamilton.

Southee’s accomplishment highlights his enduring skill and consistency in the shortest format of the game, underscoring his significant contribution to New Zealand cricket.