Kuldeep Yadav reaches 200 ODI wickets in 123 matches

Kuldeep Yadav reached 200 wickets in men’s One Day Internationals during India’s second match against West Indies in Guwahati on September 30, becoming the fastest Indian spinner to the milestone by matches played. He achieved it in his 123rd ODI, surpassing Anil Kumble’s mark of 147 matches. Accounts differ on which dismissal was the landmark wicket, so the batter’s identity is unclear from the reports. Kuldeep entered the match with 198 ODI wickets and took two during West Indies’ innings. The reports agree that Shai Hope was among those dismissed and that Keacy Paul was also out to Kuldeep. They conflict over the sequence: two accounts identify Paul as the 200th wicket, while another says Hope was Kuldeep’s first wicket and Paul completed the milestone. The match record needed to resolve that discrepancy is not included in the available accounts. The 123-match mark made Kuldeep the fastest Indian spinner to 200 ODI wickets. By matches played, he was second among Indian bowlers, behind Mohammed Shami, who reportedly reached the total in 103 matches. Kuldeep’s achievement also moved him ahead of Kumble in the spinner category.