In the fast-paced and exhilarating world of T20 cricket, batsmen often steal the limelight with their towering sixes and blazing fours, leaving bowlers vulnerable to becoming victims of merciless hitting. While fans revel in the excitement, it’s a nightmare for bowlers, and some unfortunate souls find themselves etching their names in the record books for all the wrong reasons.
At the summit of this undesirable list is Mattie Mckiernan, the spinner from Derbyshire, whose T20 nightmare unfolded in a T20 Blast quarter-final encounter against Somerset in 2022.
Mckiernan’s four overs turned into a nightmare as he conceded a staggering 82 runs, securing his place as the bowler with the most expensive spell in T20 cricket.
This surpassed the previous record held by Sarmad Anwar, who faced the onslaught in the Super Eight T-20 Cup in 2011. Playing for Sialkot Stallions, Anwar was smashed for 81 runs in four overs, recording an economy rate of 20.25.
His misery was further compounded by bowling four no-balls in his spell against Lahore Lions. It’s worth noting that Anwar’s last appearance in a cricket game was in December 2014, and he never earned an international cap.
Before Anwar’s unfortunate record, Sussex pacer Robert Kirtley held the dubious distinction, giving away 67 runs against Essex in 2008. However, the subsequent years witnessed new bowlers joining the list of unfortunate record-holders.
One such example is Hyderabad’s Basil Thampi, who found himself in the spotlight after conceding 70 runs against Bangalore in the Indian T20 League. His expensive spell added him to the roster of bowlers who suffered at the hands of relentless batting assaults.
| Most runs conceded by bowlers in domestic T20s | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opponent | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
| Mattie Mckiernan | Derbyshire | Somerset | 4 | 0 | 82 | 0 |
| Sarmad Anwar | Sialkot Stallions | Lahore Lions | 4 | 0 | 81 | 0 |
| Ben Sanderson | Northamptonshire | Yorkshire | 4 | 0 | 77 | 0 |
| Qais Ahmad | Quetta Gladiators | Multan Sultans | 4 | 0 | 77 | 2 |
| Ben Mike | Yorkshire | Derbyshire | 4 | 0 | 74 | 1 |
Meanwhile, the unwanted record extends beyond domestic leagues, touching international arenas. Sri Lanka’s Kasun Rajitha faced the onslaught in the 2019 T20I against Australia, ending with figures of 0/75 in four overs. Rajitha’s second and third overs were particularly brutal, conceding 21 and 25 runs, respectively. Unfortunately, this match marked the end of his T20I career, closing a chapter with a record he’d rather forget.
| Most runs conceded by bowlers in T20Is | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opponent | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
| Kasun Rajitha | Sri Lanka | Australia | 4 | 0 | 75 | 0 |
| Chris Sole | Scotland | New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 72 | 1 |
| Tunahan Turan | Turkey | Czech Republic | 4 | 0 | 70 | 1 |
| Barry J McCarthy | Ireland | Afghanistan | 4 | 0 | 69 | 0 |
| Kyle Abbott | South Africa | West Indies | 4 | 0 | 68 | 1 |
In T20 cricket, where fortunes can change with every delivery, bowlers often walk a tightrope between success and humiliation. The record for the most runs conceded in a T20 bowling spell is a testament to the challenges they face in the high-octane world of T20 cricket.