Top 10 economical T20 bowlers

With T20 being more of a batsman’s game, sometimes people think that bowlers are less important than batsmen. However, it’s actually the opposite. It is seen that teams having the strongest all-rounders & bowlers tend to be more successful.

Each bowler wants to go for as few runs as possible in this format. This is only possible when a bowler has 3-4 variations in his armour & is able to think on his feet & change his tactics as per the situation in the match as T20 is the most dynamic format.

So let’s look at the top 10 current T20 bowlers based on their economy (min 100 T20s, must’ve played at the international level & associate nations are excluded)

10 most economical bowlers of T20s

1. Sunil Narine

Probably the first spinner in the history of T20 cricket who was given the ball whenever the captain needed a wicket- whether it be in the powerplay or the middle overs or in death, Sunil Narine hardly failed to deliver. He has played 354 T20s & picked up 393 wickets at an economy of 6.06 runs per over

One of the three players to have won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the IPL twice, he was pivotal in turning a mediocre KKR team into a champion side. KKR won the IPL twice- 2012 & 2014 where Narine was the highest wicket-taker for KKR in both seasons. He has also won the CPL 4 times with the Trinbago Knight Riders.

He has had his struggles with the constant allegation of chucking & having to revamp his action. Though the past 1.5 years have been a lean patch for him, one can be certain that this champion player will bounce back & contribute immensely to any team he plays for.

2. Rashid Khan

An absolute no-brainer for this list, Rashid Khan is considered as the best white-ball spinner in today’s time. He has proved himself in various leagues, be it the IPL, PSL, BBL & Natwest T20 Championship.

He has played 265 T20s & picked up 370 wickets at an economy of 6.27 runs per over. Even though the opposition knows he is the biggest threat & tries to play him without taking much risk, Khan manages to take crucial wickets in the middle overs to break the momentum of a team.

He spins the ball both ways at over 90 km/h which is his biggest strength as the batsmen don’t have enough time to read him and play accordingly. Still only 22 years old, if he continues to work hard, don’t be surprised if his name comes in the same breath as Shane Warne & Muttiah Muralitharan.

3. Mohammad Hafeez

Known as the Professor of Pakistan cricket, Hafeez is going as strong as ever. Predominantly a batsman, he also bowled with the new ball quite often & kept it stump to stump which was the major reason for his success.

At one time, he was the No 1 ODI bowler in the ICC Rankings. He has also been the No 3 T20 bowler in the ICC rankings. He has played 324 T20s & picked up 180 wickets at an economy of 6.42 runs per over. This clearly shows that he can restrict batsmen quite well & can chip in with a wicket as well.

He has also had his fair struggles regarding his bowling action as he was alleged of chucking like Narine. He was also banned from bowling for a while. Nowadays, he doesn’t bowl quite often but whenever the team requires, he restricts the batsmen by keeping it simple.

4. Imad Wasim

One of Pakistan’s premier all-rounders currently, Imad Wasim is a cricketer who sticks to his strengths & tries to deliver for his team every time. In 2016, he became the 1st Pakistani cricketer to pick a five-wicket haul in T20Is & has the best figures for a Pakistani to date i.e. 5/14 vs West Indies in Dubai.

Like Samuel Badree, he balls regularly with the new ball & makes the new ball come onto the bat quicker than expected. His arm ball is a treat to watch as it has deceived the best of batsmen. He has played 324 T20s & picked up 180 wickets at an economy of 6.42 runs per over.

He has also been ranked No 1 T20 bowler in the ICC rankings which goes to show his consistency at the international level. If Pakistan wants to have a proper shot at winning the T20 WC held this year, he must play & perform with the bat as well as with the ball.

5. Mohammad Irfan

The tallest player to have ever played the sport, Mohammad Irfan is a tricky customer to deal with. 7 ft 1 inch tall, the left-hand Pakistani pacer delivers the ball from a height which becomes difficult for most batsmen to play because of the awkward length.

He has played 150 T20s & picked up 157 wickets at an economy of 6.64 runs per over. He has played across all the leagues of the world & has stuck to his basics which has led to his success.

He knows how to extract bounce & also knows that his height is his biggest strength and uses it perfectly. He doesn’t have rapid pace nor an eccentric action, but what he does have is accuracy & his height which makes him a difficult bowler to play.

6. Mujeeb ur Rahman

Another Afghan sensation after Rashid Khan, Mujeeb rose to the ranks quickly as he was selected to play for Afghanistan in the U-19 WC at the tender age of 16. With his brilliant performance in the WC, he was picked by the Punjab Kings for a whopping 4.4 cr in this 2018 IPL Auction.

The 17-year-old spinner then wasn’t afraid to bowl the tough overs for the Punjab Kings– be it with the new ball or middle overs or at the death. He astonished everyone when his delivery bamboozled Virat Kohli & hit the stumps. He has played 141 T20s & picked up 155 wickets at an economy of 6.71 runs per over.

Having played across all leagues of the world at just 20 years of age, Mujeeb has the potential to be one of the best white-ball spinners & he along with Rashid Khan can take Afghanistan cricket to new heights.

7. Shahid Afridi

Probably the biggest superstar & entertainer of Pakistan cricket, Boom Boom Afridi is a treat to watch with the bat as well as with the ball. He is the only player in the world to have scored more than 8000 runs & taken more than 300 wickets in ODIs.

He was the captain of the Pakistan team when they won their only T20 WC & was declared the man of the match in the final. He has the most number of wickets for a Pakistani in T20Is (98). He has played 326 T20s & picked up 344 wickets at an economy of 6.74 runs per over.

Even though he has retired from international cricket, fans from all over the world absolutely love him & come in numbers to cheer for him in whichever league he plays across the globe.

8. Harbhajan Singh

The most successful off-spinner India has ever had, Harbhajan Singh’s name is not so much of a surprise in this list. Having won the T20 WC once, the IPL 4 times & the Champions League 2 times, he played an essential role in each of the title victories.

In a format where off-spinners are taken for granted, he has the record of bowling the most no of dot balls in the IPL. This fact just displays his class. He has played 267 T20s & picked up 235 wickets at an economy of 6.78 runs per over.

Even though he hasn’t officially retired, his international career is considered over according to most of the cricket pundits. However, this mustn’t stop the wildly old fox from having fun with the ball in the IPL.

9. Aaron Phangiso

Born in a country where good spinners are rare to find, Aaron Phangiso is one unlucky cricketer who didn’t get as many chances as he deserved playing for South Africa due to the rise of Imran Tahir, who went on to be one of the best white-ball spinners of that decade.

The left-arm off-spinner didn’t spin the ball much but was dead accurate. He has played 160 T20s & picked up 144 wickets at an economy of 6.82 runs per over. He came into the limelight on the international stage when he uprooted the middle stump of Sachin Tendulkar in the 2010 Champions League T20.

He was also a part of South Africa’s 2015 WC campaign but didn’t get a single game. With the rise of Tabraiz Shamsi, who is currently ranked as the No 1 T20 bowler in the world, Phangiso’s chances of playing for South Africa went downhill again.

10. Dale Steyn

Last but not the least, considered as the best fast bowler of the modern-day era, if injuries wouldn’t have been so harsh on Dale Steyn, he would probably be the best fast bowler to have ever played the game.

He was a rare commodity & unplayable at his best as there aren’t even a handful of bowlers who can swing the ball both ways at a speed of more than 145 km/h. He has played 228 T20s & picked up 263 wickets at an economy of 6.85 runs per over.

After many injuries, though he made several comebacks, he wasn’t the Dale Steyn batsmen were scared facing. Even though he didn’t taste success at the fag end of his career, he will be always be known as one of the most fearsome fast bowlers & undoubtedly the best bowler South Africa has ever produced.