In the modern era, batting has great significance. The pitches are flat decks that provide full support to the batsmen. The batsmen smash the bowlers all around the park using the advantage. Especially in the T20I format, bowlers have a little margin of error. However, there have been bowlers who showed spectacular skill sets on the field.
Despite the quick gameplay of the format, bowlers bowl astonishingly well in T20I cricket. As world cricket progresses, the teams are now targeting to go for the run rate of 9+ in a T20I format. In such kind of circumstances, it is tremendously difficult to bowl to the bowlers. Hence the best bowlers of all time in T20I cricket deserve a huge round of applause.
There are two most difficult periods in a T20I game. First is the span of the powerplay overs. In the powerplay overs, only two fielders are allowed outside the circle. The teams target to gain maximum advantage in the initial phase of the game. Nowadays, the teams like England have opted for Jos Buttler who is a spectacular hitter of the ball. So Butter smashing the ball all around the park in the powerplay overs means a horrendous outing for the bowlers. Nevertheless, let’s get back to the main point. Here are the names of the best bowlers of all time in T20I cricket.
Discussing The Best Bowlers of All Time in T20I Cricket
Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is a real deal in T20 International cricket. He is a batting all-rounder but Shakib is topping the chart. Shakib not only provides spectacular input with the bat but bowls tremendously well. Bangladesh usually uses Shakib in the middle overs.
The batsmen never find it easy to take charge against the mystery left-arm spinners. Due to his heroics in the T20 format, Shakib has a high demand in franchise cricket. The top-notch leagues like the Indian Premier League target to gain the services of the all-rounder.
If we look at his T20 International statistics, Shakib Al Hasan has taken 122 wickets in the T20 international format. Yes, the wicket column could be on the higher side due to the number of matches played but the caliber of Shakib could be judged by his economy rate. Shakib has an impressive economy rate of 20.14 in the format. He has taken five 4-wicket hauls and one 5-wicket haul in the format. He is the most successful bowler in T20 cricket.
Rashid Khan
With the arrival of Rashid Khan, the perspectives are changed. From the bowling of Rashid, we can conclude that spinners can play a huge role in the T20 International format. The teams target to not take charge against Rashid Khan in the T20 format.
He is capable of bowling six different varieties in a single over. Rashid Khan has experience playing T20 cricket all over the world. Not only the Big Bash League and Indian Premier League race to acquire the services of Rashid. But the other top-tier leagues like Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League try their best to have Rashid in the format.
Rashid Khan has played a significant role in making the name of Afghanistan in the T20 international format. If we take a look at his statistics, Rashid has taken 118 wickets with a bowling average of 14.21. The economy rate of Rashid Khan is spectacular with a figure of 6.67. He has taken four 4-wicket hauls and two 5-wicket hauls in the T20 International format. He is on the list of best T20I cricket bowlers of all time for a reason.
Tim Southee
Tim Southee is a complete package in the T20 format. He has also taken a hat-trick in the shortest format of the game. Southee is a bowling marvel who is equally well in both powerplay and death overs. He has been performing tremendously well for Black Caps for a long time.
The international side still trusts him as a frontline due to his spectacular command and skillset in the format. Southee has great statistics in the T20 international format keeping the perspective of modern era standards in concern.
While the bowlers like Southee bowl in powerplay plus death overs, the economy rate could travel towards the higher side. Tim Southee has taken 114 wickets in the T20 International format with a bowling average of 24.96 and economy rate of 8.25. Southee can swing the bowl both ways to shatter the momentum of the opening batsmen in the powerplay overs. Moreover, in the death overs, he can bowl pin-point yorkers to stop the flow of runs.
Lasith Malinga
We discuss the legends of the game, Lasith Malinga is a legend of the T20 international format. Due to the heroics of Malinga, Sri Lanka won their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2014. On many occasions, Malinga bowled amazingly to not let the batter settle on the crease.
Yorker is a difficult delivery to bowl on the pitch. Lasith Malinga mastered the art of bowling great yorkers in the death overs. During many crucial situations, Lasith Malinga changed the dimensions of the game with his phenomenal yorkers in the death overs.
Lasith Malinga has astonishing statistics in the T20 International format. He has taken 107 wickets with a bowling average of 20.79. Do you Lasith Malinga has achieved a unique feat in the T20 International format? In the game vs New Zealand, Lasith Malinga took four wickets on four balls making it a double hat trick. Moreover in the franchise cricket, Lasith Malinga had a significant role in the success of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. He is one of the finest bowlers in T20I cricket of all time.
Ish Sodhi
Ish Sodhi is another mystery spinner in the T20 international format. Sodhi has a fine skillset of turning the ball amazingly well making him difficult to play. Especially when the spinning tracks are prepared, Ish Sodhi is a real deal. In the middle overs, teams lose wickets trying to attack him. He has a great line up of varieties in his skillset. Ish Sodhi can bowl top spin, and googly to deceive the batsman.
If we take a look at his T20 international statistics, they are pretty impressive. Sodhi has taken 99 wickets with a bowling average of 21.35 and an economy rate of 8.02. As the T20 World Cup 2022 is approaching, Black Caps expect Ish Sodhi to play a significant role in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. With his performance, Sodhi has proved that he is one of the best bowlers in T20 cricket.
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Shahid Afridi
If we need to choose the ambassador of the T20 format, Afridi is the name that comes to mind. Due to the heroics of Afridi with the ball, Pakistan reached the final of the ICC World Cup 2007. It finally won the T20 World Cup 2009 following the scintillating show of Afridi. For guiding his team towards the maiden title, Afridi is a fair choice in the list of best bowlers of all time in T20 cricket.
Shahid Afridi was a T20 specialist. He used to bowl the leg-spin and different varieties with great pace for a spin bowler. Furthermore, he used to come in the crucial middle overs phase of the game. During the middle overs, Afridi took wickets to gain maximum advantage for his team.
Throughout the years, the teams of franchise cricket picked Afridi to create splendid balance in the side. The batsmen who are marvels of the game found it difficult to hit in gaps against Lala in the T20 format. The statistics of Shahid Afridi demonstrate his brilliance in the T20 format. He has taken 98 wickets with a bowling average of 24.44 and an economy rate of 6.63. Afridi has retired but the fans still regard him well due to the wonderful show in the T20 format. Shahid Afridi is one of the great bowlers in T20I cricket.
Mustafizur Rahman
When Mustafizur Rehman arrived in the T20 cricket, it was evident that a T20 specialist has came for the Bangladesh side. Mustafizur bowls with a lower pace using phenomenal varieties to disrupt the plans of the batsmen. In the death overs, when batsmen plan to take the charge, the slower ones of Mustafizur are extremely difficult to pick.
Bangladesh expects Mustafizur to perform well in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 to help his team earn the maiden title. Furthermore, if we talk about his T20 International statistics, Mustafizur Rahman has taken 94 wickets with a bowling average of 20.94 and an economy rate of 7.73 which is great for a fast bowler who bowls in critical circumstances. Mustafizur Rahman is one of the fine bowlers of the T20I cricket.
