Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan and Shahid Afridi ... the top 10 T20 international wicket takers – in pictures

The most prolific bowlers and their records in cricket's shortest format

TOP 10 T20I WICKET-TAKERS: 10) AJANTHA MENDIS (Sri Lanka) 66 wickets: Mendis, known as the "mystery spinner" due to his unusual action and range of deliveries, twice set the record for best figures in a T20I and is currently the only bowler to take six wicket hauls in two matches. He took two five-wicket hauls in 39 T20Is, at an average of 14.42. His frankly incredible best bowling figures of 6-8 against Zimbabwe in Hambantota in 2013 was a record in T20I until it was beaten by India bowler Deepak Chahar in 2019. Mendis also took 6-16 against Australia in Pallekele in 2012 that was also a record. He played his last match in 2014. AFP

9) MOHAMMAD NABI (Afghanistan) 69 wickets: All-rounder who has played a key role in Afghanistan's emergence on the world cricket scene. His 69 wickets from 78 matches came at an average of 27.11, while his best bowling figures of 4-10 came against Ireland, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in 2017. Reuters

8) GEORGE DOCKRELL (Ireland) 76 wickets: Spinner now in his ninth year of T20I action for his country. Dockrell's 76 wickets from 77 matches have came at an average of 21.36. His best bowling figures of 4-20 came against the Netherlands at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in 2010. AFP

7) TIM SOUTHEE (New Zealand) 78 wickets: Medium-fast opening bowler and quality operator in all formats. Has taken one five-wicket T20I haul in 71 matches, at an average of 27.44. His best bowling figures of 5-18 came against Pakistan in Auckland in 2010, including a hat-trick - New Zealand's second in T20Is. AP

6) SAEED AJMAL (Pakistan) 85 wickets: Spinner who played his last T20I in 2015 yet still retains his spot in the top five wicket-takers. He was No 1 in the ICC T20I rankings between October and December 2012. His 85 wickets from 64 matches came at an impressive average of 17.83, while Ajmal's best figures of 4-19 came against Ireland at the Kennington Oval in 2009. AFP

5) UMAR GUL (Pakistan) 85 wickets: One of the finest bowlers to have played the game's shortest form, Gul finished as the leading wicket taker and bowler in both the 2007 and 2009 T20 World Cups. He took two five-wicket hauls in 60 matches at an impressive average of 16.97. The fast bowler's remarkable best bowling figures of 5-6 came against New Zealand at the 2009 T20 World Cup at The Oval and was the first time someone had claimed a five-wicket haul in T20Is. Gul played his last match in 2016. AFP

4) RASHID KHAN (Afghanistan) 89 wickets: Only 21-years-old but the Afghan leg-spinner is making his mark across all formats. Rashid - who is currently No 1 in the T20I bowling rankings - has claimed two five-wicket hauls from 48 matches, at a miserly average of 12.62. In June 2018, he became the fastest bowler, in terms of time, to take 50 wickets in T20Is. His barely believable best bowling figures of 5-3, off just two overs, came against Ireland in Greater Noida in 2017. Getty

3) SHAKIB AL HASAN (Bangladesh) 92 wickets: Supremely gifted all-rounder who proved himself a top-operator in all three formats and became a hero of Bangladeshi cricket. He claimed one five-wicket haul in T20Is from his 76 matches, at an average of 20.58. The spinner's best bowling figures of 5-20 came against the West Indies in Dhaka in 2018. His last T20I came in 2019. AFP

2) SHAHID AFRIDI (Pakistan) 98 wickets: Superb all-rounder who finished his T20I career just shy of 100 wickets. HIs 98 scalps from 99 matches came at an average of 24.44. His best bowling figures of 4-11 came against the Netherlands at the 2009 T20 World Cup in England at Lord's, while Afridi played his final T20I in 2018. Getty

1) LASITH MALINGA (Sri Lanka) 107 wickets: The only man to break the 100-wicket barrier in T20I - and is still going strong having retired from Test and ODI matches. Malinga - who captained the Sri Lankan team to glory at the 2014 T20 World Cup - has taken two five-wicket-hauls in 84 matches, at an average of 20.79. His best bowling figures of 5-6 came against New Zealand at Pallekele in 2019. His pace might have dropped considerably, but his yorker, late swing, dip and accuracy are still going strong. Getty

The chances of this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Australia starting as planned in October is looking increasingly bleak.

No international cricket has been played since 13 March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings admitted on Tuesday that cricket's next's global gathering  is "unlikely" to take place this year.

"Trying to get 16 countries into Australia, when most countries are still going through Covid spiking, is unrealistic, or will be very, very difficult," he said.

Only last week, the International Cricket Council said they were still planning on staging the T20 World Cup as scheduled, although they continue to explore "a number of contingency plans".

As the world awaits the ICC's final decision, we are going to continue our top 10 series by looking at most prolific wicket-takers to have played Twenty20 international cricket.

To look through the photo gallery above, click on the arrows or simply swipe to look at the next image.