T20 World Cup 2021: Ranking powerplay bowling of top 8 teams

The T20 World Cup has been the center point of discussion for a long time now. Every team needs to have all their bases covered to stand a chance to win this ICC trophy. One of the most important discussions every team would be having is how to perform well in the powerplay overs. When it comes to the shortest format of the game, the powerplay is a term given to the first 6 overs of each inning. It is mandatory in nature. Only 2 fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. This is the time when both the teams playing the game try to take advantage and thus, play aggressive shots whenever they bat. Hence, every team needs to ensure that they have good bowlers to bowl in these powerplay overs. So which are those teams who are well-equipped with bowlers who can bowl well in the powerplay overs? Here are the powerplay bowling of the top 8 teams of the 2021 T20 World Cup: 8) Afghanistan Afghanistan. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Afghanistan have a tendency to fight till the end. One of the major reasons for them to regularly be in that situation is the fact that they seldom get a good start. Their powerplay bowling is a huge concern. Their pacers lack experience of playing against bigger sides. Besides, the Afghans have traditionally been spin-dependent. Mujeeb remains their best bet in the powerplay overs. He is one of those rare spinners who can consistently bowl economical spells upfront. While Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi are good with the new ball too, it is highly unlikely that they will bowl much upfront. This is because their overs would most probably be saved for later. 7) West Indies West Indies Cricket Team. (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images) West Indies are arguably one of the best T20I sides in the world. They are the only team to have won the T20 WC twice. Their strengths topple almost all their weaknesses. However, one problem they will have to solve is their powerplay bowling. It is arguably their weakest department. This is mainly because their squad is filled with death bowlers. Not having Sheldon Cottrell and Jason Holder in their side doesn’t help their cause either. They will have to hope that the veteran Ravi Rampaul delivers in the powerplay overs. Another option for them is to introduce spin early on in the innings. 6) England England. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby/PA Images via Getty Images) England are one of the strongest teams in the shorter formats of the game. Their aggressive style of playing is appreciated by one and all. However, they have been unlucky this time around. Injuries have hit Morgan’s men hard. The absence of Jofra Archer and even Sam Curran for that matter is going to be felt when England field in the first 6 overs. Their other seamers aren’t good in the powerplay overs. While Chris Jordan and Mark Wood are world-class pacers, their bowling is more suited towards the middle overs as well as the death overs. A lot will depend on Chris Woakes when it comes to bowling with the new ball. David Willey is another good option to bowl in the powerplay overs but it is very unlikely that he will get a game. 5) South Africa South Africa Cricket Team. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) South Africa have a few issues to address going into the T20 WC. However, their powerplay bowling is something they’d be confused to it being a strength or a weakness. The Proteas have two world-class bowlers in the form of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Any team would dream of having such a duo in their side. Both these speedsters can trouble the best of the best batters. Their sheer pace is ideal for the bowling side in the powerplay overs. This ensures that the batting team can’t make full use of these overs and thus, would play it safe. However, a bad day for either of them and the Proteas could be in some trouble. Dwaine Pretorius is someone who Temba Bavuma would expect to ball with the new ball too. 4) Pakistan Pakistan. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Pakistan are not the favourites going into the T20 WC. However, their powerplay bowling is one of their stronger suits. Getting early wickets have never been an issue for Pakistan when it comes to T20Is. One of the major reasons for that is the fact that they have two world-class new ball bowlers. While one is the pacer Shaheen Afridi, the other is the spinner Imad Wasim. Both of their USPs are to bowl in the powerplay overs. Seldom would you find spinners like Imad Wasim who can bowl well in the powerplay overs. Despite the fielding restrictions, the all-rounder’s tight lengths never allow the opposition batters to go all guns blazing. Shaheen Afridi, on the other hand, is a wicket-taker and has taken wickets upfront. 3) India India win the first ODI. (Photo Source: BCCI) India‘s mantra has always been to pick early wickets. This is probably one of the major reasons why their powerplay bowling is so good. Besides, most of their bowlers are versatile and can bowl in any given situation. The bowlers they’d expect to bowl in the initial overs are Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Although Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best death bowlers, his bowling in the powerplay overs isn’t bad either. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, on the other hand, is a new ball specialist. Despite his poor form of late, he is expected to come good. Last but not the least, Ashwin is a superb bowler in the powerplay overs. His record as a bowler in this phase of the game is commendable. 2) New Zealand New Zealand Cricket Team. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images) New Zealand have been nearly unplayable in the powerplay overs with the ball in hand. They have seamers who are tailor-made for bowling in the first six overs. There have been several instances where the Kiwis have broken the back of the opposition in the mandatory powerplay overs itself. If any captain was asked to name two bowlers who they’d like to bowl in the powerplay overs then it’d be none other than the duo of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Both have been superb with the new ball. Their main strength is to bowl in these overs. Both of them can easily bowl three of their overs in the powerplay overs upfront. Besides, just in case either of the two of them have a bad day, they still have Santner to bowl in the first six overs. The spinner generally bowls tight line and lengths in the initial overs and seldom gives any lose deliveries for the opposition batters to hit. 1) Australia Mitchell Marsh (L) of Australia celebrates the dismissal of Lendl Simmons. (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images) Australia are undoubtedly the most well-equipped team when it comes to their powerplay bowling. Irrespective of all their flaws, this is one department where the Aussies are at their best. Their powerplay bowlers are lethal, to say the least. Their seamers consist of the deadly trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. Despite Starc’s lackluster form, his bowling in the powerplay overs has still been awesome. He gets too quick to handle and thus, tends to trouble the opposition batters more often than not. Hazlewood has been one of the best new-ball bowlers in the world for quite a while now. He has mastered the art of bowling in the powerplay overs. Last but not the least, Cummins prefers bowling at the start of the innings as well.

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T20 World Cup 2021: Ranking powerplay bowling of top 8 teams

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