The New Zealand cricket team is regarded as one of the best cricket teams in the world. They are also one of the twelve full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC). In the recent 2025 Champions Trophy, their cricket team managed to push through all games, defeating the strongest Group B team, South Africa, and landing in the final match against India.
The New Zealand cricket team is filled with some of the best cricketers of the current era. This statement was proved to us during the 2025 Champions Trophy and in Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand in March. Currently, the team is playing the 2025 Zimbabwe Tri-Nation Series with Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Top 10 Best Bowling Performances Against New Zealand In T20Is
While the New Zealand cricket team itself has some of the best bowlers in the squad, that’s not our primary focus in this topic. We will be looking at the Top 10 Best Bowling Performances Against New Zealand in T20Is. It will introduce you to some of the best bowling figures by a variety of bowlers from different countries.
10) Mohammed Siraj (India)
Mohammad Siraj is one of the best fast bowlers of India and has the ability to swing the ball both ways, similar to Shami and Bumrah. During the 3rd T20I match in the India tour of New Zealand in Napier, Siraj took four wickets while restricting the score and conceding only 17 runs. His 4/17 against New Zealand made him the Player of the Match.
9) Hardik Pandya (India)
Next up we have Hardik Pandya, a dynamic all-rounder, widely known for his batting skills, who has also been an impressive medium-fast bowler. After India’s visit to New Zealand, it was time for New Zealand’s tour of India in 2023. This time, it was Hardik Panyda’s bowling performance in the 3rd T20 match of the series in Ahmedabad. Pandya was named the Player of the Series for dismissing four players with the bowling figure of 4/16.
8) Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah is widely known to be India’s current best pace bowler and one of the greatest in the world. His yorkers are one of the most lethal techniques. His statistic of 3/12 dates back to the 2020 India tour of New Zealand at Mount Maunganui. In the 5th T20I match of the series, he took out two batting powerhouses and Tim Southee, for which he was crowned the Player of the Match.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Bowling Performances Against Pakistan In T20Is
7) Axar Patel (India)
Axar Patel is a left-handed all-rounder with the off-spin bowling style, who has been consistent in his performance and is seen as a potential player in all formats of cricket. The bowling performance that places him on the list occurred in the 3rd T20I match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 21 November 2021. Not only did he take out the main batting line of New Zealand, but he also restricted them from scoring, emerging as the Player of the Match due to his 3/9 bowling figure.
6) Deepak Hooda (India)
Deepak Hooda is a former international cricketer who served the national cricket team from 2022 to 2023. In his 21 T20I matches, he has taken six wickets, four of which are mentioned in this point. Once again, it was at Mount Maunganui in November 2022, during the 2nd T20I match against New Zealand. This 4/10 is also regarded as his best bowling figure.
5) Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Mustafizur Rahman is a left-arm fast-medium bowler, known for his ability to trick the batsman with cutter bowling. He is considered to be one of the best bowlers from Bangladesh. One of his best bowling performances was 5/22 in the 2016 T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Although Bangladesh had lost that match, Mustafizur Rahman significantly decreased the target and dismissed half the players.
4) Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
Lasith Malinga is an exceptional fast bowler, regarded as the best pacer in the T20I and ODI formats. He is famous for his sling bowling style and yorkers. Malinga single-handedly toppled half the team, dismissing four batsmen in a row and a single wicket in the fourth over. His 5/6 bowling stats earned him the Player of the Match award in the 3rd T20I match at Pallekele in 2019.
3) Umar Gul (Pakistan)
Umar Gul is a pace bowler well-known for yorkers and death overs, and the only Pakistan bowler to be on this list. Gul’s best bowling figure, 5/6, was marked in the 2009 T20 World Cup at The Oval. He was awarded the Player of the Match for taking out two crucial batsmen and controlling the match during the final overs. Umar Gul had taken the highest number of wickets in the tournament (13).
2) Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
A former cricketer who is really well respected as the most successful left-arm spinner in Test history. Nevertheless, ironically, his very best bowling performance came in T20 cricket. During the Super 10 stage of the 2014 T20 World Cup, Herath grabbed five wickets for just three runs. While one source places this second-best, I feel this 5/3 is in fact number one.
1) Ashton Agar (Australia)
Ashton Agar is a left-arm off-spinner best suited to T20I and ODI formats. Though he gave away 30 runs, the performance is considered the best bowling performance in that match. The tour was Australia touring New Zealand in 2021. At Wellington, after the third wicket, he took three wickets in one over, the other three coming from later overs. Agar was rewarded with the Man of the Match award for his bowling 6/30.