England’s Saqib Mahmood Makes History with Triple-Wicket Maiden in T20I

PUNE, India — England pacer Saqib Mahmood etched his name in cricket history on Friday, becoming the first English player to bowl a triple-wicket maiden in a T20 International. The rare feat occurred during the fourth T20I against India at Pune‘s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Mahmood, bowling the second over of India’s innings, dismissed Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and captain Suryakumar Yadav without conceding a single run. A triple-wicket maiden is achieved when a bowler takes three wickets in an over while preventing the batting side from scoring any runs.

“It’s a dream come true,” Mahmood said after the match. “To get three wickets in an over, especially against a strong side like India, is something I’ll cherish forever.”

The 27-year-old fast bowler’s achievement also tied the record for the earliest triple-wicket maiden in T20I history, matching Jerome Taylor‘s feat against South Africa in 2007. Mahmood’s over left India reeling at 13/3, setting the tone for England’s dominant performance.

India, coming off a 26-run loss in Rajkot, made three changes to their lineup, introducing Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh for the first time in the series. However, Mahmood’s early breakthroughs disrupted their plans. Samson fell to a short ball caught at square leg, Varma edged a wild swing to third man, and Yadav was caught at cover for a duck.

England captain Jos Buttler praised Mahmood’s performance, calling it “a game-changing moment.” India, chasing a modest target, struggled to recover and were eventually bowled out for 112, handing England a 20-run victory and leveling the series at 2-2.

The final T20I is scheduled for Sunday in Mumbai, with both teams vying for the series win.