Varun Chakravarthy
3 for 23 vs England
first T20I, Kolkata
Eden Gardens has a reputation for being seamer-friendly, but it was India's spinners who dominated this game. Varun led the way, putting on a display of drift, turn and deceit to run through England's middle order and set up a seven-wicket win. He was introduced in the last over of the powerplay, after England had lost both openers. His first over went for eight runs and Harry Brook hit him for a boundary off the second ball of his second over. But Varun hit back next ball with a wrong'un that drifted in and spun in further; Brook could only inside-edge it onto his pads and through to the stumps. Two balls later, Liam Livingstone got one where the drift was sharper and the pace quicker, and was beaten all ends up. In his final over - the 17th of the innings - Varun had top scorer Jos Buttler caught at deep midwicket. England were bowled out for 132, and India took just 12.5 overs to seal their win.
3 for 23 vs England
first T20I, Kolkata
Eden Gardens has a reputation for being seamer-friendly, but it was India's spinners who dominated this game. Varun led the way, putting on a display of drift, turn and deceit to run through England's middle order and set up a seven-wicket win. He was introduced in the last over of the powerplay, after England had lost both openers. His first over went for eight runs and Harry Brook hit him for a boundary off the second ball of his second over. But Varun hit back next ball with a wrong'un that drifted in and spun in further; Brook could only inside-edge it onto his pads and through to the stumps. Two balls later, Liam Livingstone got one where the drift was sharper and the pace quicker, and was beaten all ends up. In his final over - the 17th of the innings - Varun had top scorer Jos Buttler caught at deep midwicket. England were bowled out for 132, and India took just 12.5 overs to seal their win.
Mahedi Hasan
4 for 11 vs Sri Lanka
third T20I, Colombo
Having lost their Test and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka in the summer of 2025, Bangladesh entered the third T20I with both teams having won one game apiece. Mahedi, who did not play the first two games, made an instant impact, opening the bowling and striking once in each of his four overs to finish with career-best figures, setting up Bangladesh's first T20I series win in Sri Lanka. In his first over he pocketed a classic offspinner's dismissal when he got one to spin away and had Kusal Perera edging to slip. In his next, he got one to drift away that Dinesh Chandimal top-edged to backward point. In the second over after the powerplay, Mahedi got one to spin away past the outside edge to castle Charith Asalanka. And he capped things off by accounting for the dangerous Pathum Nissanka in a wicket-maiden 11th over. Sri Lanka were 66 for 5 after 11 overs and could only muster 132 for 7, a total Bangladesh chased down in 17 overs.
4 for 11 vs Sri Lanka
third T20I, Colombo
Having lost their Test and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka in the summer of 2025, Bangladesh entered the third T20I with both teams having won one game apiece. Mahedi, who did not play the first two games, made an instant impact, opening the bowling and striking once in each of his four overs to finish with career-best figures, setting up Bangladesh's first T20I series win in Sri Lanka. In his first over he pocketed a classic offspinner's dismissal when he got one to spin away and had Kusal Perera edging to slip. In his next, he got one to drift away that Dinesh Chandimal top-edged to backward point. In the second over after the powerplay, Mahedi got one to spin away past the outside edge to castle Charith Asalanka. And he capped things off by accounting for the dangerous Pathum Nissanka in a wicket-maiden 11th over. Sri Lanka were 66 for 5 after 11 overs and could only muster 132 for 7, a total Bangladesh chased down in 17 overs.
Mohammad Nawaz
5 for 19 vs Afghanistan
UAE tri-series final, Sharjah
Pakistan were in a spot of bother when Afghanistan restricted them to 141 for 8. But Nawaz ripped through Afghanistan with a five-wicket haul that included a hat-trick to ensure a win. The left-arm spinner menaced the right-hander-heavy opposition batting line-up on a surface that suited him. He came into the attack to bowl the final over of the powerplay and trapped Darwish Rasooli lbw, pitching it on leg and spinning it out towards middle. Azmatullah Omarzai nicked the next ball behind, trying to cut a short-ish one that was spinning away. For his hat-trick, Nawaz drew Ibrahim Zadran forward first delivery of the eighth over with a full ball on off that spun away past the bat; Mohammad Haris was quick to whip off the bails. Three balls later, Karim Janat missed a sweep and was trapped in front in a double-wicket maiden. Nawaz finished off by getting Rashid Khan to sky one to the off side, with Salman Agha holding on to the catch despite a collision with Haris.
5 for 19 vs Afghanistan
UAE tri-series final, Sharjah
Pakistan were in a spot of bother when Afghanistan restricted them to 141 for 8. But Nawaz ripped through Afghanistan with a five-wicket haul that included a hat-trick to ensure a win. The left-arm spinner menaced the right-hander-heavy opposition batting line-up on a surface that suited him. He came into the attack to bowl the final over of the powerplay and trapped Darwish Rasooli lbw, pitching it on leg and spinning it out towards middle. Azmatullah Omarzai nicked the next ball behind, trying to cut a short-ish one that was spinning away. For his hat-trick, Nawaz drew Ibrahim Zadran forward first delivery of the eighth over with a full ball on off that spun away past the bat; Mohammad Haris was quick to whip off the bails. Three balls later, Karim Janat missed a sweep and was trapped in front in a double-wicket maiden. Nawaz finished off by getting Rashid Khan to sky one to the off side, with Salman Agha holding on to the catch despite a collision with Haris.
Shaheen Afridi
3 for 28 vs Sri Lanka
Asia Cup Super Four, Abu Dhabi
Injuries and a drop in pace might have made Afridi a less fearsome opponent than in the past, but the Pakistan fast bowler gave a reminder of his abilities in this Asia Cup win over Sri Lanka. He started as he often does, taking a wicket in the first over: second ball, he moved one in to Kusal Mendis, who found midwicket with a tame flick. In his next over, Afridi delivered the big wicket of Pathum Nissanka, firing a 141kph delivery across him after being hit for a six, which the Sri Lanka opener could only get a thin edge on as he tried to pull it leg side. Afridi came back at the death and bowled a toe-crushing yorker to remove Kamindu Mendis, batting on 50, helping restrict Sri Lanka to 133 for 8.
3 for 28 vs Sri Lanka
Asia Cup Super Four, Abu Dhabi
Injuries and a drop in pace might have made Afridi a less fearsome opponent than in the past, but the Pakistan fast bowler gave a reminder of his abilities in this Asia Cup win over Sri Lanka. He started as he often does, taking a wicket in the first over: second ball, he moved one in to Kusal Mendis, who found midwicket with a tame flick. In his next over, Afridi delivered the big wicket of Pathum Nissanka, firing a 141kph delivery across him after being hit for a six, which the Sri Lanka opener could only get a thin edge on as he tried to pull it leg side. Afridi came back at the death and bowled a toe-crushing yorker to remove Kamindu Mendis, batting on 50, helping restrict Sri Lanka to 133 for 8.
Kuldeep Yadav
4 for 30 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup final, Dubai
Playing Pakistan for the first time in an Asia Cup final, India looked in trouble when Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman stitched together an 84-run opening stand. But spin twins Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy effected a stunning collapse that saw Pakistan lose all their wickets for another 62 runs. Varun removed Farhan in the tenth over before Kuldeep got in on the action, getting Saim Ayub to slice a wide delivery to backward point in the 13th. Then, in the 17th over, he picked up three wickets to demolish the lower order. Salman Agha charged down, only to be undone by a wrong'un, skying it into the square-leg region, where wicketkeeper Sanju Samson took a good catch. Shaheen Afridi was next to go, trapped lbw off an attempted sweep. And when Faheem Ashraf tried to take Kuldeep on, he ended up picking out long-off.
4 for 30 vs Pakistan
Asia Cup final, Dubai
Playing Pakistan for the first time in an Asia Cup final, India looked in trouble when Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman stitched together an 84-run opening stand. But spin twins Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy effected a stunning collapse that saw Pakistan lose all their wickets for another 62 runs. Varun removed Farhan in the tenth over before Kuldeep got in on the action, getting Saim Ayub to slice a wide delivery to backward point in the 13th. Then, in the 17th over, he picked up three wickets to demolish the lower order. Salman Agha charged down, only to be undone by a wrong'un, skying it into the square-leg region, where wicketkeeper Sanju Samson took a good catch. Shaheen Afridi was next to go, trapped lbw off an attempted sweep. And when Faheem Ashraf tried to take Kuldeep on, he ended up picking out long-off.