Published: Mar 11, 2016, 11:52 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 11, 2016, 10:06 PM (IST)
Contemporary cricket is primarily observed as a batsman’s game yet there are few bowlers who prove their worth in gold. An effective bowler in a format full of uncertainties like T20 is priceless. With the new heavier bats and rules coming into play, a bowler’s life has become awful. In the recent times, a team’s success has highly been dependent on their bowling attack. With the ICC World T20 2016 kicking-off with the first round games, Suraj Choudhari jots down 12 such bowlers who can make the difference in the tournament. READ: ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Cricketers who may retire after World T20
Ravichandran Ashwin, India: India’s frontline spinner, Ashwin’s enhancement as an off-spinner has been irresistible. His ability to make batsmen struggle for runs and at the same time chip-in with wickets will be of great importance for his side. Ashwin is easily one of the best bowlers in this format and with the tournament being played in Indian conditions, he will be unstoppable if there is any help offered by the surface.
Jasprit Bumrah, India: India’s prolific display in T20Is of late has been because of their productive pace battery. Bumrah has been one of the valuable finds for team India in the recent times. His weird action right-arm pace has been a surprise package for the batsmen at the highest level so far. He is difficult to tackle with the new ball and has been equally effective in the death. Bumrah certainly holds the key, as the immensely talented prodigy is bound to leave a mark on the grandest stage.
Mohammad Aamer, Pakistan: Aamer has made the headlines since his impactful return to international cricket. He bowled with raw pace and lethal swing in the Asia Cup and it was captivating to watch him bowl. His presence in the Pakistani bowling attack makes them one of the most formidable ones in the tournament. A lot is expected from the effective left-arm pacer who will definitely be the man to watch out for in the prestigious tournament.
Mustafizur Rahman, Bangladesh: Rahman looks like a bowler brimming with confidence and hungry for success. He has been instrumental behind his team’s success in the recent times. His subtle changes with the ball and canny cutters have been too much to handle for everyone. His role becomes more crucial in T20 format as the batsman is always intending to go big and score runs quickly. The conditions in India will surely assist his style of bowling and he will be hungry to prove his effectiveness.
Trent Boult, New Zealand: The joint-highest wicket taker in the 2015 World Cup with 22 scalps to his name will once again eye to make the biggest opportunity count in India. Boult has been a unparalleled leader of the New Zealand pace attack. His forte is his swing and the experience of having played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) might just come handy for him. Needless to say, but Boult will surely make an impact with the new ball and will be the man to watch out for in the World T20.
Samuel Badree, West Indies: With the tournament being played in India, the role of every spinner becomes crucial. The crafty leg-spinner, Badree has been deadly with the new ball; he doesn’t rely much on turn but the drift and zip which he extracts from the surface. In 22 outings so far, Badree has accounted for 31 wickets at a staggering average of 14.96 and is the top ranked T20I bowler in the world. He will be the one to watch out for.
Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka: Herath is a testament to the fact that orthodox spin can still be fatal in a format that involves hard hitting. In 13 T20Is, he has scalped 15 wickets at 18.26 with a sound economy of 6.11. On his day, he can rip through any batting attack and win a game single-handedly. Herath will get great help from the conditions and the defending champions Sri Lanka will look up to him to deliver and get wickets.
Shahid Afridi, Pakistan: The highest wicket taker in T20Is with 93 scalps from 94 games, Afridi has done an extraordinary job with the ball in hand. A leg spinning all-rounder, Afridi brings his experience into play and has been among the wickets every time he puts in the hard yards. He has got plethora of variations up his sleeves as his economy of 6.57 in T20Is suggests. This might probably be Afridi’s last T20 World Cup and the maverick leader will look script history in his final one.
Dushmantha Chameera, Sri Lanka: Chameera is tipped to be the bowler for Sri Lanka in the coming days. The lanky right-arm pacer hits the deck hard to generate bounce at a good pace further making it difficult for the batsman to dominate him. He has a long way to go but the languishing Sri Lankan side can surely see some ray of hope in him.
Reece Topley, England: His numbers are without a doubt contradicting but the tall left-arm pacer is a lot more than what his numbers suggest. He hasn’t been very much effective in four outings so far in T20Is but his ability to get the ball into the right-handers has created trouble and will be the man to watch out for in England.
Kagiso Rabada, South Africa: Rabada has evolved as a phenomenal bowler in lesser time especially with the white ball. His average of 21.94 in 13 games with 17 wickets so far is just a small sign of his potential. He has been in tremendous form in the recent times and will hold the key for South Africa in the sub-continent.
James Faulkner, Australia: With Mitchell Starc being unavailable for the tournament due to injury, other Australian bowlers will have a task in hand. Faulkner is a renowned T20 bowler for his astute variations and ability to deceive a batsman. He has played a lot of cricket with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in India and is well aware of the conditions. This makes him a bowler to watch out for.
(Suraj Choudhari is a reporter with Criclife and CricketCountry. He is an avid follower of the game, and plays the sport at club level. He has a radical understanding about the subtle nuances and intricacies of cricket, and tries to express it through paper and pen.)
