You probably have no idea which bowler has troubled Pakistan the most over the past 5-6 years. If you're thinking Jasprit Bumrah, you're wrong — it's Kuldeep Yadav.
The way he gave away just 18 runs in 4 overs and took 3 wickets to literally break Pakistan's back in the Asia Cup - we all saw that. But did you know that was actually the first T20 match he was playing against India’s arch-rivals? That just goes to show how underrated he is in this team.
And that wasn’t the first time he pulled something like this off. He's been quietly turning Pakistani batting line-ups into a pile of confused expressions. Remember the ODI Asia Cup in 2023? Kuldeep completely choked their run-chase with figures of 5 for 25, bowling them out for just 128. And that magical delivery to Babar Azam in the 2019 ODI World Cup - that wicket literally flipped the match on its head.
Kuldeep Yadav vs Pakistan (All Formats)
Overall, in 7 matches across formats against Pakistan, Kuldeep has picked up 18 wickets at a staggering strike rate of 12.6.
Kuldeep's figures: 1/37, 2/41, 2/32, 5/25, 2/35, 3/40, and 3/18
Man, it’s like he either has a personal grudge against Pakistan or some sort of cheat code, there’s no other explanation!
The unfortunate Kuldeep
Despite good form, He has played just 33 T20Is since 2018, yet has picked up 61 wickets in them. And it isn’t just the wickets that stand out, it’s the rate at which he gets them. His strike rate of 11.4 in this period is the best among all bowlers from full-member nations with a minimum of 50 wickets.
So, if the performance is this good, where’s the problem? Maybe his economy isn’t great? Well, let’s bust that myth too. Since 2018, Kuldeep’s economy has been a stunning 6.4. In an era of T20 cricket where 200+ scores have become normal, he’s going at just about 6 runs an over.
And here’s the painful part: despite these numbers, he had to wait almost a full year after the 2024 T20 World Cup final to play his next T20I. When he finally returned against the UAE, Kuldeep was literally unplayable, picking up 4 wickets in just 2.1 overs. In his second over, Kuldeep got 3 wickets to run through the UAE middle-order.
And it's not the case in T20Is only. Since wrapping up his IPL campaign in late May, Kuldeep had featured in just one competitive match before the Asia Cup opener vs the UAE. He spent the entire England Test tour on the bench, with his only real outing in nearly 4 months coming in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final for Central Zone against North East Zone.
Kuldeep doesn't get enough chances but when he does, he makes sure to make it big, and he is having an exceptional return to T20Is.
