Mitch Hay in his debut assignment for New Zealand broke the world record in just his second international appearance on Sunday, November 10. With five catches and a stumping, Hay now has the most dismissals for a wicketkeeper in an innings in T20Is as New Zealand came from behind to stun Sri Lanka in a low-scoring thriller in Dambulla. Hay surpassed the likes of MS Dhoni and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad to script the world record for most dismissals with those two being among nine wicketkeepers with five in one innings.
Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in an innings in T20Is
6 (5 catches, 1 stumping) – Mitch Hay (NZ vs SL), Dambulla 2024
5 (3 catches, 2 stumpings) – Mohammad Shahzad (AFG vs OMA), Abu Dhabi, 2015
5 (5 catches) – MS Dhoni (IND vs ENG), Bristol, 2018
5 (3 catches, 2 stumpings) – Irfan Karim (KEN vs GHA), Kampal 2019
5 (5 catches) – Kiplin Doriga (PNG vs Vanuatu), Apia 2019
Hay might not have lit up the scene with the bat, however, he has proven to be really safe with the gloves, especially on his very first tour with the Black Caps in the sub-continent against the spinners.
Pacer Lockie Ferguson was the star of the show naturally with his second T20 hat-trick and first in international cricket in the format for New Zealand. 109 wasn’t a total that Sri Lanka would have sweated about but Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and ultimately Glenn Phillips chipped in with the ball to help their side defend their lowest, and third-lowest target overall in T20Is.
New Zealand’s inexperience showed in both matches with the bat, but thankfully for the visitors, the bowlers came to the rescue and eventually, got them over the line. The two teams will now take on each other in three-match ODI series, slated to kick off in Dambulla on November 13, with the remaining couple of games in Pallekele on November 17 and 19.
