RCB's Latest Recruit Breaks Sir Richard Hadlee's Record, Becomes First Player to...

International cricket continues to surprise fans worldwide with ongoing packed schedules, competitive tours, and players consistently reaching new milestone records. The West Indies tour of New Zealand followed the same patterns, with both sides competing in Test matches. In the first Test match, the match went into a draw, which was followed by a NZ win in the second Test match.

As the series moved to a decisive phase, fans' attention shifted to the NZ vs WI 3rd Test match, where both teams looked to finish strong and leave a lasting impact. With the 3rd Test match unfolding, one moment stood out and quickly changed the tone of the match.

The New Zealand bowling unit delivered early and shifted the momentum on their side with their key bowler breaking records and establishing himself among the list of greats.

Jacob Duffy Record: NZ Pacer Surpasses Greats of the Game

Jacob Duffy, who has recently been bought by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the upcoming IPL season, has created history, and now has the most wickets by New Zealand bowler in a year in international cricket.

Duffy finished the year with 81 wickets, which is a record. The right-arm pacer reached this milestone during the NZ vs WI 3rd Test, where he finished with 9 wickets. Overall, he picked up 23 wickets in three Tests and emerged as the Player of the Series. Jacob Duffy NZ vs WI Test performance was also critical in NZ clinching a fine series win over West Indies.

During this process, he surpassed the GOAT of cricket, Sir Richard Hadlee, who held the record with 79 wickets in a calendar year. Former NZ spinner Daniel Vettori is third on this list with 76 wickets while left-arm seamer Trent Boult has 72 wickets to his name in a calendar year.

Most Wickets by NZ Bowler in a Year

Jacob Duffy not just passed Hadlee’s record but has also completed 2025 as the leading wicket-taker across formats, with teammate Matt Henry. The milestone came during the NZ vs WI 3rd Test when Duffy took matters into his hands and put NZ at upfront with his impressive bowling spell. By picking 5/42 in the second innings of the third Test, he finished with the match figures of 9/128 (57.3) and ended the series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets in six innings.

Overall, Jacob Duffy took his 13th four-fer in first-class cricket. He now has 338 wickets from 112 red-ball games at an average of more than 31. Duffy, made his Test debut for the Kiwis on August 7, 2025, against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, and finished with 25 wickets in four red-ball matches in 2025. He has all the qualities of becoming the best Test bowler in the future. Here is the full list of highest wickets for New Zealand bowler in a year: