London, June 28 (IANS) South Africa pace spearhead Shabnim Ismail added another remarkable milestone to her illustrious career on Sunday by becoming the most successful bowler in the history of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

The veteran fast bowler claimed her 49th wicket in the tournament during South Africa’s crucial Group 1 encounter against Bangladesh at Lord’s, moving past Australia’s Megan Schutt to stand alone at the top of the all-time charts.

The record-breaking dismissal arrived early in Bangladesh’s innings when opener Taj Nehar was trapped leg-before in Ismail’s second over. It was a trademark breakthrough from one of the quickest bowlers women’s cricket has produced and proved to be another defining moment in a career that has consistently delivered on the biggest stages.

Having made her Women’s T20 World Cup debut back in 2009, Ismail has now accumulated 49 wickets from 37 appearances in the competition. Her remarkable record includes an average of 15.87 and an economy rate of just 5.96, illustrating both her wicket-taking ability and her sustained control across nearly two decades of World Cup cricket.

The previous benchmark belonged to Australian seamer Megan Schutt, who finished with 48 wickets and remains part of Australia’s squad at the ongoing 2026 tournament. Another South African, all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, occupies fifth place on the all-time list with 38 wickets.

Ismail’s latest spell also played a significant role in South Africa’s push for a place in the knockout stages. She returned figures of 1/15 from four economical overs against Bangladesh, conceding runs at just 3.75 an over as the Proteas restricted their opponents to 117/5 in a must-win contest. Across the 2026 tournament, the right-arm pacer has collected six wickets in five matches while maintaining an economy rate below seven.

The milestone adds another chapter to an already extraordinary journey. Ismail had stepped away from international cricket in May 2023 after helping South Africa reach their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup final. With the Proteas once again targeting global success, she reversed that decision and returned for the 2026 edition, bringing invaluable experience to an attack chasing the country’s first ICC limited-overs trophy.

Already South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in women’s T20 internationals with 129 wickets from 118 matches, Ismail has long been recognised as one of the game’s premier fast bowlers. She also broke new ground in 2024 by becoming the first woman to bowl in excess of 130 km/h, further cementing her reputation as one of the fastest and most feared pacers in the history of women’s cricket.

Meanwhile, the Proteas concluded their group stage with a victory against Bangladesh, with four wins and a loss from five games. However, their qualification to the semi-final hangs in the balance as only India’s loss to Australia would confirm their spot.

–IANS

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