Published: May 21, 2024
The T20 World Cup, the biggest cricket tournament on the planet, will be held in the United States and the Caribbean next month. While batsmen are expected to rule the roost, the slower, lower surfaces of the Caribbean and the drop-in pitches of New York could benefit both pacers and spinners, making the competition between bat and ball more even in the tournament. .
Before we take a look at five bowlers who could have a big impact on the competition: GGBet Bonus Get the best odds on tournaments.
1. Jasprit Bura (India)
Don’t care what the rankings say. Jasprit Bumrah is the best limited-overs bowler in the world and will pose a huge challenge to the opposition batsmen with the new ball. He has taken 74 wickets in 61 innings in T20I cricket at an average of 19.66 and strike rate of 17.9. Bumrah is not only a great wicket-taker in his format, but he is also surprisingly limited. His economy rate of 6.55 is the highest among all pacers with at least 50 wickets. Bumrah dazzles at the death, conceding just 6.3 runs per over in the powerplay and with a lethal yorker and an economy of just 7.1. The best among all pacers who have bowled at least 20 overs at this stage of play!
Bumrah has been devastating with the ball in the current IPL season. He is by a country mile the most influential bowler in the tournament with 20 wickets in 13 matches, a strike rate of 15.5 and an economy of 6.48. Bumrah returned with seven wickets at an average of 13.6 and an economy-rate of 5.08 in five matches in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE.
2. Trent Bolt (New Zealand)
One of the best new ball bowlers in world white-ball cricket, Trent Boult is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the powerplay in the history of T20 cricket, with 97 dismissals at an economy of 7.2. He also has a unique knack for picking wickets in his first over and has returned with 35 wickets at an economy of 5.8 from his first six deliveries of his spell over his T20 career.
Boult played a huge role in Mumbai Indians’ historic win in IPL 2020, taking 25 wickets at a strike rate of 13.7. He performed brilliantly with the new ball in the early stages of Rajasthan Royal’s campaign this season, as they dominated the tournament. Boult played a major role in leading MI Emirates to victory in the 2024 ILT20 in UAE, where he was the third-highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets in 12 matches.
Boult has picked 74 wickets in 57 T20I matches for New Zealand. He performed brilliantly in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE, playing a pivotal role in taking New Zealand to the final by taking 13 wickets at a strike rate of 12.7 and an economy of 6.25 in just seven matches.
3. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s wicket-taking penchant stands out in T20I cricket and he has played just 64 matches for Pakistan, taking 88 wickets at an outstanding strike rate of 15.8. This is the highest level ever! Afridi is a nightmare for right-handers, having taken 71 of his 88 international wickets. He has an impressive strikeout rate of 13.9 against RHB. Afridi picked 15 wickets in his first over showing his menace with the new ball. He’s also been in top form this year, posting 24 shutouts with a 10.5 strikeout rate in 12 games. Afridi played a leading role in leading Pakistan with the ball in the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. He returned with 11 wickets in 7 matches at an economy of 6.15.
Afridi has also been a sensation in the PSL, winning the Man of the Match award in the 2023 Lahore Qalandars final. He was the best wicket-taker for them in 2024 as well.
4. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Mitchell Starc has not had a good season in the IPL, where he has been erratic and inconsistent for the Knight Riders despite his record price tag. But the veteran left-arm seamer is one of the fastest bowlers in white-ball history and elevates his performances on the biggest stages of world tournaments. He was the joint-highest wicket-taker at the 2015 World Cup at home and the joint-highest wicket-taker at the 2019 World Cup in England.
Starc is the leading wicket-taker for Australia in the shortest format with 74 dismissals in 60 matches, a strike rate of 18.2 and an economy rate of 7.67. Overall, Starc has taken 183 wickets in 133 T20 innings and has a bowling-strike rate of 15.9, which ranks him top in the format.
5. Kuldeep Yadav (India)
Kuldeep Yadav is slow, low and unpredictable in the Caribbean and will often be a handful on second-tier wickets and could be India’s trump card in the middle overs. The Chinaman has taken 59 wickets in just 34 appearances and his strike rate of 12.5 is the highest among spinners (minimum 50 wickets) in the history of T20I cricket. Kuldeep is also very limited and has an economy of form of 6.74. He saw a resurgence in his form from 2022 and returned during this period, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 13.8 and an economy rate of 5.95.
Kuldeep has been in top form for Delhi Capitals this IPL season, picking up 16 wickets in 11 matches at a strike rate of 16. He has taken 47 wickets in the last three tournaments. 18.
