Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar etched his name into the record books on Thursday, becoming the first Indian pace bowler and only the second Indian player ever to secure 350 wickets in T20 cricket.

The 36-year-old reached the historic landmark during an Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Despite RCB’s eventual defeat, Bhuvneshwar delivered a masterclass in seam bowling, finishing with figures of 3/28 in his four-over quota while defending a modest total of 156.

The veteran reached the milestone by dismissing GT opener Sai Sudharsan in his second over. With this feat, he joins an elite fraternity currently led by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who remains the most prolific Indian in the format with 391 dismissals in 337 outings.

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Statistical Dominance

Across a career spanning 325 T20 matches, Bhuvneshwar has amassed 352 wickets at an average of 24.51. His resume includes five four-wicket hauls and five five-wicket performances, highlighted by career-best figures of 5/4.

The seamer’s resurgence this season has been particularly notable. He currently sits atop the 2026 Purple Cap leaderboard, having claimed 17 wickets in nine matches at a remarkable average of 15.52. In the broader context of the IPL, Bhuvneshwar has now collected 215 wickets in 199 appearances, trailing only Chahal's 228 in the tournament's historical standings.

Match Summary

The contest began with the Gujarat Titans winning the toss and opting to bowl. RCB opener Virat Kohli provided an aggressive start, striking five consecutive boundaries off Kagiso Rabada to reach 28 off 13 deliveries. However, the Bengaluru innings faltered under the pressure of disciplined spells from Arshad Khan (3/22), Rashid Khan (2/19), and Jason Holder (2/29). Devdutt Padikkal anchored the middle order with a brisk 40 off 24 balls, but RCB were ultimately dismissed for 155 in 19.2 overs.

The Titans' response was led by captain Shubman Gill, who blasted 43 off 18 balls, and Jos Buttler, who added 39 off 19. While Bhuvneshwar’s triple-strike and a brace from Romario Shepherd briefly threatened a collapse as GT slipped to 111/5, Rahul Tewatia’s unbeaten 27 guided the home side to a four-wicket victory with 25 balls to spare.

The result moves Gujarat to fifth in the standings with five wins from nine games. Despite the setback, RCB remains in second place, having incurred just their third loss of the season.

With inputs from ANI