A form of cricket characterized by heavy hitting and scoring, few dismissals are more unique than that of a batsman dismissing himself by knocking his stumps off with his bat. However, despite this unique method of being dismissed from the field, some players have managed to accumulate a unique record in Men’s T20 cricket. Andre Russell of West Indies and Shoaib Malik of Pakistan, along with Sai Sudharsan of India, now hold the record for the most hit-wicket dismissals in the Men’s T20 format, with each player having been dismissed by this method thrice in their career.
The aforementioned record recently garnered attention amid the playoffs of the IPL 2026 season, with Sudharsan joining the ranks of two others as the three have recorded the same number of dismissals in the game. This occurred only days following another such dismissal in Qualifier 1. In addition, the Men’s T20 World Cup season also had three such dismissals occur in a single edition.
Three Cricketers With Hit-Wicket Dismissals
Sai Sudharsan – 3 Hit-Wicket Dismissals
Sudharsan’s entry into the record books stands out because all three dismissals came in the IPL. His first occurred in 2022 against Mumbai Indians when his bat slipped during an attempted pull shot and crashed into the stumps. The same pattern repeated twice in the IPL 2026 playoffs.
In Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, his bat flew out while attempting a cut shot and removed the bails, ending his innings on 14 with Gujarat Titans at 17/1. Just three days later in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, another bat slip sent the stumps flying despite a fluent knock of 58 off 32 balls. While Gujarat Titans were in a strong position at 167/1, the dismissal abruptly ended a dominant innings. Sudharsan also became the first player in IPL history to suffer this dismissal more than once.
Andre Russell – 3 Hit-Wicket Dismissals
Russell’s three dismissals came across three different T20 leagues and over an eight-year span. The first arrived in the Big Bash League in January 2016 while playing for Sydney Thunder. A sharp bouncer forced him backward and into his stumps after a quick 16 from nine deliveries.
A month later in the Pakistan Super League, Russell accidentally dragged his bat onto the stumps while batting for Islamabad United. His dismissal for 14 left the side struggling at 19/2 early in the innings. His third hit-wicket came in Major League Cricket in July 2024 for Los Angeles Knight Riders. After scoring 10 from five balls, he clipped his own stumps and departed with the team at 106/6. In each case, a promising cameo ended suddenly, denying his side momentum during crucial phases.
Shoaib Malik – 3 Hit-Wicket Dismissals
Malik’s three dismissals span nearly two decades and include both international and franchise cricket. The first came in 2003 during an ODI against Sri Lanka. While battling on 33, he stepped back and dislodged the bails while facing Muttiah Muralidaran. Pakistan eventually lost the match by 12 runs.
His second came in 2019 against England. Batting aggressively on 41 from 26 balls, Malik’s back-foot movement during a square cut attempt resulted in him knocking over all three stumps. Pakistan lost a key finisher late in the innings. The third dismissal occurred in the Lanka Premier League in 2022. Facing a short ball from Wahab Riaz, a blow to his helmet caused the neck guard to fall onto the stumps. The unusual sequence resulted in a golden duck and added another rare chapter to cricket’s hit-wicket history.
