The T20 is one such format in cricket where every run can prove to be decisive in the result of the match.
There is very little margin for error as the bowling team can not afford to give freebies in the form of extras.
No balls account for a major chunk of these extra runs, as the batters get a free hit for every such ball to pile pressure on the bowlers.
Ghana cricket team holds the record for most no balls bowled in a T20 innings when they bowled 10 in a match against Uganda in September 2022.
Most no balls in a T20I innings
| Team | No balls bowled | Opponents | Venue | Date |
| Ghana | 10 | Uganda | Benoni | September 20, 2022 |
| Serbia | 9 | Bulgaria | Corfu | October 14, 2019 |
| Ireland | 7 | Oman | Dharamshala | March 9, 2016 |
| Afghanistan | 7 | Oman | Fatullah | February 20, 2016 |
| Sri Lanka | 7 | UAE | Mirpur | February 25, 2016 |
| Turkey | 7 | Czech Republic | Ilfov County | August 30, 2019 |
| India | 7 | Sri Lanka | Pune | January 5, 2023 |
Ghana - 10 no balls vs Uganda (September 2022)
The final league phase match of the Africa Cricket Association Cup 2022 saw Ghana lock horns with Uganda.
Batting first, Ghana openers James Vifah (45 off 37) and Samson Awiah (39 off 53) played a major role in their team’s total of 133/9.
However, the bowling unit proved feeble in defending the mediocre total as they gave away too many extras, including 10 no balls as Uganda cruised to an eight-wicket win.
Ireland - 7 no balls vs Oman (March 2016)
Oman and Ireland squared off in a Group A clash of the T20 World Cup 2016 where the latter scored 154/5 batting first.
Oman, making their debut in the tournament, held their nerves to register a thrilling two-wicket victory in the end, where they managed to get 14 runs in the last over.
The Irish cricket team failed to defend the total, giving away seven no balls, including two in the final over where both the balls ended up going to the boundary ropes.
India - 7 no balls vs Sri Lanka (January 2023)
An underwhelming day at the office saw Team India face the wrath of the Lankans’ fiery batting performance.
In the second T20I of the Sri Lanka tour of India 2023, the Hardik Pandya-led side dug their own grave as they bowled a total of seven no balls (five of them were bowled by pacer Arshdeep Singh), which the tourists duly capitalised on, posting a daunting total of 206/6.
Thereafter, the illegal deliveries came back to haunt the hosts as they fell short by just 16 runs despite Suryakumar Yadav (51 off 36) and Axar Patel (65 off 31) leading an inspiring fightback.
Moreover, this was the first instance when a septet of no balls were bowled in a single innings of a T20I involving full member nations.
Photo credit: Alamy
