T20 World Cup: Ireland pacer Joshua Little becomes leading T20I wicket taker in 2022

Joshua Little became only the second Irish to take a T20 hat trick while surpassing Sandeep Lamichanne of Nepal to claim the most wickets in T20Is in the calendar year 2022. The Irish pacer dismissed Kane Williamson, James Neesham, and Mitchell Santner in the 19th over to register figures of 3-22 in the Super-12 match against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval. He became the second bowler to take a hat trick in the 2022 edition of the tournament. Earlier, it was Karthik Meiyappan of UAE who clinched a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the round one of the tournament in Geelong.

After all-rounder Curtis Campher, who took a hat trick back in the 2021 edition of the tournament, Little is the second Irish player to clinch a hat trick in T20 WC. He dismissed Santner to claim his 39th wicket for the calendar year 2022, surpassing Lamichanne’s tally of 38 wickets. Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga is third on the list with 36 wickets in the 2021 calendar year. South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi also was at par with Hasaranga in 2021 also scalping 36 wickets, placing him third on the list. India-born Dinesh Nakarni who plays for Uganda is fourth on the list with 35 wickets in the 2021 year. India’s experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 35 wickets to his name in 2022 and has the opportunity to overtake Little to become the leading wicket-taker in T20Is for the year 2022. Coming to the match, New Zealand posted 185/6 in their 20 overs. Skipper Kane Williamson was back among the runs as he scored 61 off just 35 balls with five fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 174. Opener Finn Allen (32 off 18 balls) and all-rounder Daryl Mitchell (31* off 21 balls) posted some valuable contributions too. Little (3/22) was a standout bowler for Ireland. Spinner Gareth Delany (2/30) and Mark Adair (1/39) also got wickets for Ireland. Ireland was not able to chase the target and ended with 150/9, losing the match with 35 runs.