Ish Sodhi

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Ish Sodhi

| fullname = Inderbir Singh Sodhi

| nickname = Ish

| image = 2018.02.03.20.52.20-AUSvNZL T20 NZL innings, SCG (38618201470) (Sodhi cropped).jpg

| caption = Sodhi in 2018

| country = New Zealand

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|10|31|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ludhiana, Punjab, India

| heightm = 1.85

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm leg break

| role = Bowler

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2013–present

| testdebutdate = 9 October

| testdebutyear = 2013

| testdebutagainst = Bangladesh

| testcap = 262

| lasttestdate = 1 November

| lasttestyear = 2024

| lasttestagainst = India

| odidebutdate = 2 August

| odidebutyear = 2015

| odidebutagainst = Zimbabwe

| odicap = 187

| lastodidate = 19 November

| lastodiyear = 2024

| lastodiagainst = Sri Lanka

| odishirt = 61

| T20Idebutdate = 5 July

| T20Idebutyear = 2014

| T20Idebutagainst = West Indies

| T20Icap = 64

| lastT20Idate = 26 March

| lastT20Iyear = 2025

| lastT20Iagainst = Pakistan

| T20Ishirt = 61

| club1 = Northern Districts

| year1 = {{nowrap|2012/13–present}}

| club2 = Adelaide Strikers

| year2 = 2016/17

| club3 = Nottinghamshire

| year3 = 2017–2018

| club4 = Rajasthan Royals

| year4 = 2018–2019

| club5 = Jamaica Tallawahs

| year5 = 2018

| club6 = St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

| year6 = 2020

| club7 = Worcestershire

| year7 = 2021

| club8 = Welsh Fire

| year8 = 2022

| club9 = Somerset

| year9 = 2023

| columns = 4

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 21

| runs1 = 561

| bat avg1 = 20.77

| 100s/50s1 = 0/4

| top score1 = 65*

| deliveries1 = 4,043

| wickets1 = 58

| bowl avg1 = 43.10

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 6/86

| catches/stumpings1 = 11/–

| column2 = ODI

| matches2 = 54

| runs2 = 210

| bat avg2 = 9.54

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 35

| deliveries2 = 2,557

| wickets2 = 64

| bowl avg2 = 36.71

| fivefor2 = 1

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 6/39

| catches/stumpings2 = 14/–

| column3 = T20I

| matches3 = 124

| runs3 = 198

| bat avg3 = 7.33

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 19

| deliveries3 = 2,501

| wickets3 = 144

| bowl avg3 = 23.14

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 4/28

| catches/stumpings3 = 38/–

| column4 = FC

| matches4 = 100

| runs4 = 2,791

| bat avg4 = 21.46

| 100s/50s4 = 0/14

| top score4 = 82*

| deliveries4 = 18,104

| wickets4 = 316

| bowl avg4 = 33.82

| fivefor4 = 17

| tenfor4 = 2

| best bowling4 = 7/30

| catches/stumpings4 = 40/–

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry |{{NZ}}}}

| date = 6 April 2025

| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/ish-sodhi-559066 ESPNcricinfo

}}

Inderbir Singh "Ish" Sodhi (born 31 October 1992) is a New Zealand cricketer who represents the New Zealand national cricket team in all formats, and Canterbury in domestic cricket.{{cite web|title=Players / New Zealand / Ish Sodhi|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/559066.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=11 October 2013}} He bowls right-arm leg spin, and bats right-handed. He reached the no.1 ranking for T20I bowlers in January 2018, jumping from no.10 at the end of the previous year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/587573|title=Munro and Sodhi on top of the world|access-date=2018-01-04|language=en}} He was a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Early life

Sodhi is an ethnic Punjabi and was born in Ludhiana, India to a Sikh family.{{cite web | url=https://www.indianweekender.co.nz/Pages/ArticleDetails/7/11176/New-Zealand/Blackcap-spinner-Ish-Sodhi-ties-knot-in-Auckland | title=Blackcap spinner Ish Sodhi ties knot in Auckland! }} His grandmother hail from Lahore in Pakistan pre-partition.{{cite web | url=https://cricketpakistan.com.pk/en/news/detail/to-be-here-is-special-sodhi-reveals-family-connection-with-lahore | title=To be here is special': Sodhi reveals family connection with Lahore|access-date=2023-05-08}} He moved to Papatoetoe, New Zealand, with his family when he was four years old. He attended Papatoetoe High School.{{Citation|last=Mark Geenty|title=New Black Cap Sodhi in a spin after rapid rise|date=2013-09-14|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/9163328/New-Black-Cap-Sodhi-in-a-spin-after-rapid-rise|access-date=2018-06-05}}

Domestic and T20 career

Sodhi made his debut for Northern Districts in the 2012–13 Plunket Shield season.

In 2017, Sodhi was not named in the Test squad against Bangladesh, which enabled him to play for Adelaide Strikers as an injury replacement for Chris Jordan. On 18 January, in his third game for the Strikers, he ended the match with figures of 6/11 off 3.3 overs to win the match for the Strikers and Man of the Match. These are the second-best figures in Big Bash history after Lasith Malinga's 6/7 from 4 overs between the Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers.{{Citation|last=cricket.com.au|title=Sodhi takes six to sink Thunder|date=2017-01-18|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD9XsAVkZpQ|access-date=2017-01-19}}{{Citation|last=((MrCricket1760))|title=Lasith Malinga 6/7 vs Perth Scorchers 12/12/12|date=2012-12-12|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOkctodgNr4|via=YouTube|access-date=2017-01-19}}

He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 Plunket Shield season, with 36 dismissals in seven matches.{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12656;type=tournament |title=Plunket Shield, 2018/19: Most wickets |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=20 March 2019}} He was released by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2020 IPL auction.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/28087425 |title=Where do the eight franchises stand before the 2020 auction? |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 February 2020}} In July 2020, he was named in the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29417692/nabi,-lamichhane,-dunk-earn-big-cpl-2020-draft |title=Nabi, Lamichhane, Dunk earn big in CPL 2020 draft |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 July 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/teams-selected-hero-cpl-2020/ |title=Teams Selected for Hero CPL 2020 |work=Cricket West Indies |access-date=6 July 2020}}

In June 2023, Sodhi joined Somerset for their Vitality Blast campaign to fill gaps in the squad left by the injuries of Peter Siddle and Roelof van der Merwe.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/countycricket/ish_sodhi_joins_somerset_short-term_contract.html |title=Ish Sodhi joins Somerset on short-term contract |work=The Cricketer |access-date=4 July 2024}} He took three wickets in the final helping Somerset win by 14 runs.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/vitality-blast-2023-1347399/essex-vs-somerset-final-1347700/match-report |title=Somerset hold nerve to seal first T20 Blast title since 2005 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=4 July 2024}}

International career

His international debut for New Zealand came in a Test match against Bangladesh during New Zealand's 2013 tour of Bangladesh. He made his Twenty20 International debut against the West Indies in July 2014. In November 2014, Sodhi was selected for a three-test series against Pakistan cricket team. In the first Test, he scored 63, a personal best and the best score by a New Zealand number-ten batsman in Test cricket. Sodhi made his One Day International debut for New Zealand against Zimbabwe on 2 August 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/894287.html |title=New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, 1st ODI: Zimbabwe v New Zealand at Harare, Aug 2, 2015 |access-date=2 August 2015 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}

In May 2018, he was one of the twenty players to be awarded a new contract for the 2018–19 season by New Zealand Cricket.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23512513 |title=Todd Astle bags his first New Zealand contract |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 February 2020}} In April 2019, he was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26426227 |title=Sodhi and Blundell named in New Zealand World Cup squad |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 February 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1154328 |title=Uncapped Blundell named in New Zealand World Cup squad, Sodhi preferred to Astle |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=3 April 2019}} In August 2021, Sodhi was named in New Zealand's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/black-caps/126013220/black-caps-announce-twenty20-world-cup-squad-two-debutants-for-leadup-tours-with-stars-absent |title=Black Caps announce Twenty20 World Cup squad, two debutants for leadup tours with stars absent |work=Stuff |date=9 August 2021 |access-date=9 August 2021}}

In December 2022, Sodhi was recalled in New Zealand's Test squad after 4 years, for their tour to Pakistan.{{cite web |title=Sodhi & Phillips return to Test squad, Tickner retained |url=https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/sodhi-phillips-return-to-test-squad-tickner-retained/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |work=New Zealand Cricket |archive-date=22 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222015433/https://www.nzc.nz/news-items/sodhi-phillips-return-to-test-squad-tickner-retained/ |url-status=dead }} In the first Test, he picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket,{{Cite web |title=Sodhi's maiden fifer keeps NZ in the hunt |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/125027/sodhis-maiden-fifer-keeps-nz-in-the-hunt-cricbuzzcom |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=Cricbuzz |language=en}} besides scoring his career best 65 runs in the first innings.{{Cite web |title=PAK vs NZ: Ish Sodhi registers his career-best Test score |url=https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/21338-pak-vs-nz-ish-sodhi-registers-his-career-best-test-score |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=Geo Super |language=en-US}}

In May 2024, he was named in New Zealand’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.{{Cite web |title=New Zealand Squad for ICC Men’s World Cup 2024 |url=https://www.scorewaves.com/news-details/new-zealand-squad-icc-mens-world-up-2024-new-zealand-jersey |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=ScoreWaves |language=en}}