While no single individual bowler has ever taken all 20 wickets in a Test match, the rare feat of two bowlers from the same team accounting for all 20 opposition wickets in a match has been achieved. This extraordinary accomplishment signifies that only a pair of bowlers dismissed the entire opposing team across both of their innings.
The Rarity of an Individual Feat
To date, no individual bowler in the history of Test cricket has managed to claim all 20 wickets in a single match. The closest any bowler has come to this incredible milestone is 19 wickets. This record is held by England's Jim Laker, who took 19 for 90 against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956. This included an astonishing 10-wicket haul in one innings.
The Exceptional Achievement by a Bowling Pair
Although a single bowler hasn't taken all 20 wickets, a select group of bowling pairs have achieved this remarkable feat, demonstrating exceptional dominance and synergy. This means that two bowlers from one team were solely responsible for all 20 dismissals of the opposition across their two innings.
The most recent pair to accomplish this was Noman Ali and Sajid Khan. They became the 7th pair in Test history to bag all 20 wickets in a match. Before them, the last pair to achieve this was the Australian duo of Bob Massie and Denis Lillee against England at Lord's in 1972.
This unique achievement highlights a comprehensive and sustained bowling effort by just two players, making it a truly rare occurrence in the long history of Test cricket. It underscores their sustained pressure, accuracy, and wicket-taking ability throughout the match, with no other bowler on their team picking up a wicket.
