In a stunning display of fast bowling, Indonesia's Gede Priandana carved his name into the record books of international cricket on Tuesday. The 28-year-old all-rounder achieved a historic first by becoming the first bowler ever to take five wickets in a single over in a T20 International (T20I) match.
The Over That Made History
The extraordinary feat unfolded during the first T20I between Indonesia and Cambodia in Bali. Chasing a target of 168, Cambodia seemed to be in a decent position at 106 for 5 when Priandana was handed the ball for the 16th over. What followed was a breathtaking collapse orchestrated by the right-arm bowler in a seven-ball over that included a wide.
Priandana struck with his first three deliveries, clean bowling Shah Abrar Hussain, Nirmaljit Singh, and Chanthoeun Rathanak to complete a sensational hat-trick. After a dot ball, he returned to dismiss Mongdara Sok and Pel Vennak with the final two legitimate deliveries of the over. This devastating spell bundled out Cambodia for 107, handing Indonesia a commanding 60-run victory.
Context and Career Highlights
Earlier in the match, a brilliant century from Dharma Kesuma, who slammed 110 runs, had powered Indonesia to a competitive total of 167. For Cambodia, Etienne Beukes and Shah Abrar Hussain had taken two wickets each.
Interestingly, Priandana had also opened the batting for his side, scoring 6 runs off 11 balls. A seasoned campaigner for Indonesian cricket, he has now played 63 T20I matches, amassing 1040 runs with a highest score of 65 not out. His bowling figures of 5 for 1 against Cambodia are now his personal best, taking his total T20I wicket tally to 24.
A Rare Feat in Cricket Annals
While five-wicket hauls in an over have occurred in domestic T20 leagues—notably by Bangladesh's Al-Amin Hossain and India's Abhimanyu Mithun—Priandana's achievement is unprecedented at the international T20 level.
In international cricket, there have been 14 instances of bowlers taking four wickets in an over. This elite list includes legends like Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga, who achieved the 'four in four' against New Zealand in a 2019 T20I. West Indies' Jason Holder (against England in 2022) and Ireland's Curtis Campher (against Netherlands in 2021) have also accomplished the four-wicket over feat. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Yuzvendra Chahal and Andre Russell took four wickets in an over during the 2022 season.
However, Gede Priandana now stands alone, having shattered the ceiling by securing a magnificent five-wicket over, setting a new benchmark in the fast-paced world of T20 International cricket.
