Arshdeep Singh won the ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 award for his stellar performance last year. Team India’s highest wicket-taker in the shortest format, Arshdeep, was crucial in helping the Men in Blue end their ICC trophy drought with their second T20 World Cup title in the Americas in June 2024. Besides, he beat some heavyweights, including Australia’s Travis Head, for his maiden ICC award.

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The left-arm seamer has emerged among the top T20I bowlers worldwide despite his international debut just three years ago in 2022. In such a brief period, Arshdeep played two T20 World Cups, winning one in the USA and the Caribbean, alongside surpassing spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s top wicket-taker, nearing 100 international wickets in the shortest format.

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In 2024, the 25-year-old picked up 36 T20I wickets in 18 matches – the most by an Indian and the fourth-highest among all bowlers, second after Wanindu Hasaranga (38) among a full-member nation. Even in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he bagged 17 wickets in eight outings – the joint-most, averaging 15.31. 

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Despite doing well at the start and the end, predominantly in the death throughout the last year, Arshdeep had an economy of 7.49 and a strike rate of 10.80.

Arshdeep shines

The left-arm seamer had a memorable T20 World Cup, picking four wickets against the USA for just nine runs in his four overs. 

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However, his most impressive outing was against South Africa in the summit clash in Barbados, helping India successfully defend 176 in the final.

Alongside the ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep kept the Proteas under check, with his match figures of 4/20 in four overs.

He first removed Aiden Markram, caught behind in the third over, before returning to dismiss their star gloveman Quinton de Kock to put South Africa under pressure.

With the Proteas needing 20 off the last 12 balls, Arshdeep bowled a near-perfect death over, conceding just four runs before Pandya did his magic to defend 16 runs in the final over, helping India win the match and the title. 

(With inputs from agencies)