Cricket
Most No-Balls by a bowler in T20 cricket
While these statistics highlight the prevalence of no-balls in T20 cricket, it's essential to view them in context. Each bowler mentioned has showcased moments of brilliance and match-winning performances throughout their careers.
Record-Breaking Overs: The Bowler with the Most No-Balls in T20 Cricket
Former South African bowling all-rounder Morne Morkel has bowled the most no balls by a bowler in T20 international cricket. In the 44 T20Is that he played, the Transvaal-born lad bowled 19 no-balls.
While bowling no balls have been punished by allotting one extra run and a free hit to the batting side, and an extra ball to the bowling side, it gets severer in T20s where each ball is more precious than anything.
Morne Morkel is followed by Nigeria’s Isaac Okpe, Australia’s Brett Lee and India’s Arshdeep Singh.
Most No-Balls by a bowler in T20 International
Most No-Balls by a bowler in T20 International
Rank | Bowler | Nationality | Matches | No balls |
1 | Morne Morkel | South Africa | 44 | 19 |
2 | Isaac Okpe | Nigeria | 46 | 19 |
3 | Brett Lee | Australia | 25 | 17 |
4 | Arshdeep Singh | India | 44 | 16 |
5 | Sayed Monib | Kuwait | 38 | 16 |
6 | Umar Gul | Pakistan | 60 | 15 |
7 | Bilal Hassun | Uganda | 46 | 15 |
8 | Richard Ngarava | Zimbabwe | 52 | 15 |
9 | Nasrulla Rana | Hong Kong | 38 | 15 |
10 | Francisco Damiao Couana | Mozambique | 32 | 15 |
Morne Morkel | 19 no balls in T20Is
An exceptional fast bowler standing at 1.96 meters, Morne Morkel is renowned for his ability to generate steep and awkward bounce, making him a formidable opponent on the field. Known for his speed, often clocking in the upper 140 kph range, Morkel was a crucial part of South Africa's formidable pace attack.
Throughout his T20 International career, spanning from his debut against the West Indies in 2007 to his final match for the World XI against Pakistan, Morkel bowled 19 no-balls in 44 matches.
Brett Lee | 17 no balls in T20Is
Renowned for his blistering pace and charismatic presence on the field, Brett Lee established himself as one of Australia's most successful bowlers. Over his decade-long career, he became Australia's fourth-highest wicket-taker, claiming 310 wickets
In T20 Internationals, Lee bowled 17 no-balls across 25 matches, showcasing his fierce speed and competitive spirit. He made his T20I debut against New Zealand in 2005 and played his final match in this format against the West Indies in 2012.
Arshdeep Singh | 16 no balls in T20Is
Arshdeep Singh, a promising talent in Indian cricket, made a remarkable entry into T20 Internationals by delivering a maiden over, joining the ranks of Jhulan Goswami and Ajit Agarkar.
Known for his precision in death overs and his ability to bowl accurate yorkers at speeds exceeding 140 kph, Arshdeep debuted on the international stage in 2022 against England. In his T20I career, he has bowled 16 no-balls in 44 matches, the most by any Indian bowler in this format.
Most No-Balls by a bowler in T20 cricket
Most No-Balls by a bowler in T20 cricket
Rank | Bowler | Matches | Overs | No balls |
1 | Wahab Riaz | 348 | 1238.5 | 108 |
2 | Sohail Tanvir | 388 | 1368 | 96 |
3 | Lasith Malinga | 295 | 1084.4 | 49 |
4 | Andre Russell | 494 | 1296.5 | 46 |
5 | Shaun Tait | 171 | 612.2 | 46 |
6 | Morne Morkel | 190 | 693.2 | 46 |
7 | Kesrick Williams | 116 | 381.4 | 46 |
8 | Jasprit Bumrah | 225 | 842.5 | 45 |
9 | Naved-ul-Hasan | 126 | 426.5 | 44 |
10 | Keemo Paul | 117 | 267.3 | 44 |
Wahab Riaz - 108 no balls in T20 cricket
A Pakistan left-arm fast bowler known for his speed, Wahab Riaz challenged the top batsmen through his performance although he lacked consistency. His career advanced partly due to Pakistan's frequent misfortune with fast bowlers: with Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif often unavailable and Umar Gul prone to injuries, Riaz gained national attention sooner than anticipated.
Riaz has played for numerous T20 leagues including Afghanistan Premier League’s Kandahar, Global T20 Canada’s Brampton Wolves, Mzansi Super League’s Cape Town Blitz, Bangladesh Premier League’s Dhaka Platoon, Lanka Premier League’s Kandy Tuskers, Caribbean Premier League’s St Lucia Zouks and Jaffna Kings, The Hundred’s Northern Superchargers and many more. He has bowled 108 no balls in 348 T20 matches although he was the first Pakistani bowler to take 400 T20 wickets.
Sohail Tanvir - 96 no balls in T20 cricket
A left-arm bowler who made a significant impact with his unconventional leap and delivery stride, Shail Tanvir broke the stereotype with his left foot landing ahead of his right one during the delivery. His unique action and sharp lines perplexed batsmen, complemented by a variety of slower balls that further troubled them.
Tanvir played for a host of T20 cricket leagues like Indian Premier League’s Rajasthan Royals, Pakistan Super League’s Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, Caribbean Premier League’s Saint Lucia Kings, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Bangladesh Premier League’s Sylhet Royals, Sylhet Super Stars, and many more sides. Tanvir follows Riaz in the most no balls bowled in T20 cricket with 96 of them in 388 matches.
Lasith Malinga - 49 no balls in T20 cricket
Lasith Malinga, renowned as one of the finest limited-overs bowlers during his peak, was famous for his powerful inswinging yorkers delivered with a distinctive round-arm action. His arsenal included not just the deadly yorker but also a deceptive slower ball and a sharp bouncer, all of which contributed to his formidable presence on the field. His unique bowling style made it difficult for batsmen to read his deliveries.
His pin-pointed deliveries fetched him many dot-balls, a rare skill in T20 cricket, which saw him play for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, for the Jamaica Tallawahs and Saint Lucia Kings in Caribbean Premier League and many more T20 franchises. While these statistics highlight the prevalence of no-balls in T20 cricket, it's essential to view them in context. Each bowler mentioned has showcased moments of brilliance and match- winning performances throughout their careers.
FAQs
When Virat Kohli was standing up straight, the device measured his waist at 1.04 meters. However, technology analysis revealed that the ball would have hit Kohli at a height of 0.92 meters if he had remained within the crease. The delivery cannot be deemed a no-ball as a result.
He has bowled the most no-balls of any bowler in IPL history with 28, having done it in 120 games.
Umaima Saeed is a professional sports writer whose articles have been featured in several leading websites. She writes long-form content on sports, particularly cricket. She has a penchant for telling human-interest stories. Umaima has contributed articles on cricket to more than a dozen publications, both in print and online.