Most expensive bowling figures in men’s T20Is: Ireland’s Liam McCarthy sets unwanted record

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A nightmare debut for Liam McCarthy
Most expensive bowling figures in T20Is

In a debut that will unfortunately be etched into the record books for all the wrong reasons, young Irish pace bowler Liam McCarthy endured a chastening experience during the third T20 International against West Indies at Bready Cricket Club. The 23-year-old right-arm fast bowler conceded a staggering 81 runs in his four-over spell, marking the most expensive bowling figures ever by a player from a Test-playing nation in men’s T20Is.

A nightmare debut for Liam McCarthy

McCarthy, making his first appearance for Ireland in the shortest format of the game, was entrusted with the responsibility of opening the bowling against a formidable West Indies batting lineup renowned for its explosive power-hitting. The visitors showed no mercy from the outset. West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer and debutant Keacy Carty immediately set a relentless pace, plundering 18 runs off McCarthy’s very first over, an ominous sign of the assault that was to follow.

While McCarthy managed a brief reprieve in his second over, conceding a comparatively frugal six runs, this respite proved to be short-lived. The true onslaught unfolded in his final two overs, where the duo of Carty and Romario Shepherd unleashed a brutal display of hitting. They smashed two fours and five towering sixes across just 12 deliveries, turning the screws on the young Irish bowler. The pinnacle of the carnage came in McCarthy’s final over, where he was hammered for a disheartening 24 runs, culminating in a spell that Irish cricket fans will be keen to forget.

By the time his four overs were complete, McCarthy’s bowling analysis read a daunting 4-0-81-0, with a shocking economy rate of 20.25 runs per over. His spell included being hit for 11 fours and five sixes, compounded by two wides, further illustrating the West Indies’ dominance and McCarthy’s struggle to find his rhythm.

The West Indies batting unit capitalized ruthlessly on the Irish bowling struggles, amassing an imposing total of 256 for five in their allotted 20 overs. This massive score stands as their second-highest total in T20I history, underscoring the severity of the challenge faced by the Irish bowlers. Opener Evin Lewis led the charge for the visitors with a blistering 91 runs off just 44 deliveries, while captain Shai Hope provided crucial impetus with a rapid 51 from only 27 balls. The onslaught left Ireland facing an almost insurmountable chase and McCarthy with an unenviable, albeit prominent, place in the T20I record books.

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McCarthy’s 0/81 now officially stands as the most expensive T20I spell by a bowler representing a full-member ICC nation. This record was previously held by Sri Lanka’s Kasun Rajitha, who conceded 75 runs in four overs against Australia in 2019. On a global scale, McCarthy’s figures are the second-most expensive in the history of all men’s T20 Internationals, trailing only Gambia’s Musa Jobarteh, who was taken for 93 runs in four overs by Zimbabwe in 2024.