T20 World Cup 2021: Ranking teams based on their death bowling

Though the danger of the COVID-19 looms large, there’s still a chance for India to host the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup. With only around four months left for the start of the tournament, the teams must be planning their tactics and strategies to taste success in the T20 event. One of their priorities should be death bowling, which has become a crucial aspect in the shortest format. An expensive over, going for 15 to 20 runs, might change the entire complexion of the match and lead to momentum change. Hence, having the proper set of death bowlers is paramount for every team. Though all the teams have some impressive fast bowlers, bowling at the death can be a challenging task. Not every team has the apt resources to sustain the wrath of batters at the death. In the article, let’s rank the top 8 teams in the T20 World Cup as per their death bowling: 8. Sri Lanka Dushmantha Chameera. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Sri Lankan bowling attacked looked like a decent one when Lasith Malinga was in it. But in his absence, the Lankans have found it tough to put forth decent bowlers for their death overs. Subsequently, they have leaked runs at an alarming rate, resulting in massive losses for their team. The likes of Dushmantha Chameera, Isuru Udana, and Nuwan Pradeep have been tried out. However, none of them has been able to be penetrative enough. It’s a reason why Lanka are ranked eighth in the ICC rankings. Earlier this year, they also lost the three-match T20I series against West Indies. 7. Afghanistan Dawlat Zadran. (Photo Source: Twitter) In the last two years, Afghanistan have made loads of changes in their captaincy. Though they have done well in the T20 format, controversies haven’t gotten off their back. They have Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman as two of the world’s best spinners, but their death bowling is a bit of a concern. Dawlat Zadran and Gulbadin Naib are their most accomplished pacers at the present point in time. But the duo has been guilty of leaking runs in crunch moments. Though Rashid has the potential to bowl an over or two at the death, the overall strength of their bowling needs to be worked upon. 6. South Africa Kagiso Rabada. (Photo Source: Twitter) South Africa haven’t had the best of times ever since their poor outing in the 2019 World Cup. In T20Is, they are placed seventh in the rankings. As far as death bowling is concerned, they have Kagiso Rabada, who has arguably been the leader of the pack for the Proteas in the last five years or so. Anrich Nortje has been reasonable as well, though he doesn’t have a lot of experience at the highest level. Lungi Ngidi may not be deemed as an out-and-out death bowler as he tends to leak runs, bowling length deliveries. Their death bowling can’t be considered overly poor, but it isn’t the best either. 5. England Jofra Archer. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images for ECB) England have ruled the roost in the ODI and T20I formats in the last five years or so. Though batting has attributed to a lot of their success, their bowlers haven’t flattered to deceive either. In Jofra Archer, the Brits have a bowler, who can deliver and pick up wickets at any stage of an encounter. He has a brutal bouncer and a deadly Yorker up his sleeves and it’s hard to negotiate them. Mark Wood has the knack for getting wickets, albeit he can be a tad expensive at times. Chris Jordan is among the leading wicket-takers for the Three Lions in the T20I format and he has a big role to play as well. 4. New Zealand Lockie Ferguson. (Photo Source: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) New Zealand’s death bowling is pretty impressive, to least the least. In left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult, they have a tried and tested customer with an experience of 34 T20Is. In Lockie Ferguson, they have one of the fastest bowlers in the world, who can ruffle the feather of opposition batters with his sheer pace and venom. Tim Southee, who has also led the Kiwis in the shortest format, is one short of 100 T20I wickets and it shows the experience he possesses. Even Jacob Duffy was impressive in the only T20I he played against Pakistan. Kyle Jamieson can also crank up the pace after coming up the ranks in the last one year. 3. Pakistan Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Pakistan, recently, beat South Africa in both the T20I series, and it’s their fast bowlers, who have come to the party. Shaheen Shah Afridi has played only a few years of international cricket. But he is already Pakistan’s most prominent pacer in the shortest format, having picked wickets at regular intervals. He can swing the new ball and nail the Yorkers with ease as well. Shaheen has Haris Rauf for a company in the fast bowling department. Rauf has impressed for the Lahore Qalandars and Melbourne Stars. Hasan Ali has changes of pace in his repertoire and he has been effective as well. 2. India Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) India have one of the best death bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah, against whom batters have found it tough to score at even a run-a-ball. The skipper always saves a couple of overs for the Ahmedabad-born speedster. In pacer Mohammed Shami, the Men in Blue have a potent death bowler as well. Shami can get his radar right when the batters try to line him up for the big shots. Deepak Chahar knows the art of bowling with the new ball, but he has developed some skills with the old ball as well. India also have Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who might not have pace, but has the accuracy to keep the batters in check. 1. Australia Pat Cummins. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Australia have done exceptionally in the T20I format in the last couple of years and their ICC ranking is a testament to their stupendous show. As far as death bowling is concerned, the Aussies have a power-packed lineup. Mitchell Starc can rip the poles of the best in the business with his deadly Yorkers. He has an economy rate of 6.95 in T20Is and considering the fact that he bowls at the death, the numbers are fantabulous. Pat Cummins is the no.1 ranked Test bowler and he can be lethal even in the T20I format. The likes of Kane Richardson and Daniel Sams aren’t the worst by any means.

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T20 World Cup 2021: Ranking teams based on their death bowling

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