ICC WORLD T20 Top 10 Bowling Performances : When smartness outsmarted over - smartness

In a tournament that has always been known for batting, 10 bowling performances are hard to pick. Yet over the 10 editions, there were some terrific performances that stood out. Again this is pitch points’ personal list, and not necessarily edition wise. So, here goes another list. 

10 : Brett Lee (3/27 vs Bangladesh, ICC world T20 2007)

As an Aussie should feature on every list, one of the greatest ODI bowlers of our era features in a T20 list… the reason??? Brett Lee steamed in and took the first ever hattrick in the inaugural edition of the tournament. 

The victims were a hapless Bangladesh side who were shot out for just 107 at the Wanderers. Lee bowled a good delivery to Shakib, who edged it through to Adam Gilchrist, before cleaning up Mashrafe Mortaza with a beautiful yorker. Alok Kapali was then adjudged LBW as the veteran speedster stamped his authority on the shortest format by becoming the first Aussie to achieve a remarkable feat.

9 : Dwayne Bravo (3/37 vs England, ICC world T20 2016)

It's no secret that Dwayne Bravo the bowler has always been more effective than Dwayne Bravo the batsman. In the final of the 2016 edition, it was his spell that restricted England to 155. Bravo has always been miserly with the ball and this game was no different. Nipping out the important wickets of Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, Bravo was a tad bit expensive but efficient as he stopped the run scoring at the right time. 

He did contribute an important 25 runs with the bat as he aided Marlon Samuels in winning the second T20 world cup for the West Indies, but it was Dwayne Bravo with the ball who outshone Bravo with the bat that day. 

8 : Sam Curran (3/12 vs Pakistan, ICC world T20, 2022)

Unlike Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran has been more of a batting all rounder and his bowling skills have always been limited. But 2022 was different. He was more than effective as he bowled in the powerplay and at the death. In the semi final too he did get some stick, but picked up a wicket, but there was still gas left in him and he unleashed their gas in the final against Pakistan. 

Picking up the wickets of Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz, Curran made sure that Pakistan could only muster 138 on the board. Curran came back and finished the game off with Ben Stokes , but  it was Curran the bowler, who was more effective than Curran the batsman on that historic night at the MCG.

7 : Lockie Ferguson (3/0 vs PNG, ICC world T20 2024)

An unusual but absolute banger entry on the list is the kiwi speed machine Lockie Ferguson. Bowling 4 overs in T20 is the legal norm, but not conceding a single run and picking up 3 wickets should be considered illegal. Ferguson, against minnows Papua New Guinea entered this unique list where he bowled four consecutive maidens and ended up picking wickets in 3 of them. 

His terrific bowling was key as PNG were bundled out for 78 runs. Although the kiwis did lose a couple of wickets, the run chase was never a problem considering what happened earlier in the game. Ferguson was rightly given the man of the match for his figures and it's a feat that is highly likely to get emulated.

6 : Sikandar Raza (3/25 vs Pakistan, ICC world T20 2022)

Like Brendon Taylor, Sikandar Raza has been an inspiration for Zimbabwe over the last few years, but this particular game against Pakistan in the World T20 in 2022 brought out the best in him as the small African nation made a massive statement by beating a genuinely threatening Pakistan team in that edition.

Batting first, Zimbabwe scored 130/8 and all the Pakistan fans at the G thought they would get these in under 15 overs. But RAZA thought otherwise. He picked up the wickets of Shan masood, and then Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan off successive balls as he finished with 3/25.

With 11 needed of the final over, Mohammad Nawaz tried hard but fell at the wrong time as Zimbabwe stunned a packed MCG by pipping Pakistan at the death and clinching a famous win.

5 : Umar Gul ( 5/6  vs New Zealand, ICC world T20 2009)

Over the years, Pakistan have managed to produce some riveting fast bowlers from Wasim to Waqar to Shoaib. However one quality fast bowler they have produced is Umar Gul. He was absolutely on point in that 2007 final against India with his robust death bowling, but it was in the 2009 edition that he really got his due.

In the league game against New Zealand, he produced a fast bowling spell for the ages as he picked up unreal figures of 5 wickets for just 6 runs. The balls he bowled to Nathan McCullum and James Franklin was the stuff of dreams for any fast bowling fan. The kiwis were shot out for 99 runs and Pakistan romped home easily.

 Although Shahid Afridi pulled off a catch for the ages dismissing Scott Styris, Umar Gul and his dream spell was one of the highlights of the ICC world T20 2009, which Pakistan eventually went on to win.

4 : Rangana Herath (5/3 vs New Zealand, ICC World T20, 2014)

If Gul bamboozled the Kiwis with his yorkers, Rangana Herath outfoxed them with his spin variations. In the 2014 edition, Trent Boult and James Neesham restricted Sri Lanka to a below par score of 119. The chase was tricky but not impossible. But a veteran left arm offie, who was their test specialist made it a herculean task.

Nipping out hitters like the McCullum brothers, Neesham, Luke Ronchi and Ross taylor, Rangana Herath produced unimaginable figures like 5/03 to skittle New Zealand out for just 60 runs. This was their lowest score as they “BETTERED “ their previous one of 99. Herath showed the world as to how proper test match bowling, in the era of slow cutters, is still effective. This was one of the performances of the tournament for Sri Lanka as they went on to win the trophy by beating India in the final.

3 : Hardik Pandya (3/24 vs South Africa, ICC world T20 2024)

The 2024 world cup was one final chance for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to have a shot at the trophy in this format for one last time. India were unbeaten all through the tournament, but Heinrich Klassen stood tall and threatened to deny India another trophy.  Rohit Sharma turned to Bumrah, who was economical , but it was Hardik Pandya who made the difference. 

A slow off cutter outside off, Klassen was nipped out. This was followed by his last over pyrotechnics as he produced the all important wicket of the in form David Miller, who was caught by Surya Kumar Yadav on the boundary exceptionally. Pandya proved that his absence cost India the 2023 ODI world cup as he was instrumental in India winning its second title in the shortest format. 

Another aspect as to why this performance was special was that Pandya was booed throughout the IPL and scripting a turnaround within months required remarkable mental strength, which he showed during crunch moments.

2 : RP Singh (4/13 vs South Africa, ICC world T20 2007)

In a batsman dominated country, bowlers are almost rare to be found. One such rare species was RUDRA PRATAP SINGH. Before the world T20, he was an absolute beast in English conditions as he picked up a 5 wicket haul at Lords. Needless to say, he had to be India's mainstay in the world T20.

India were in a must win zone and a game against hosts South Africa beckoned. After posting a middling 153 thanks to contributions from Robin Uthappa, Rohit sharma and MS Dhoni, India needed a good performance with the ball to keep themselves in the semi final hunt.

RP Singh, the wrecker in chief started the proceedings as he nipped out Herschelle Gibbs, Graham Smith and Shaun Pollock that left the hosts reeling at 31/5. From there, the hosts could never recover as not only did they fail to chase the target, but were also knocked out of the competition leaving their fans shell shocked. RP Singh, a forever hero in those shadows was the key architect of this famous win as India qualified for the semi finals in emphatic fashion.

1 : Irrfan Pathan (3/16 vs Pakistan, ICC world T20 2007)

Another hero who faded out in the shadows was the ever dependable Irrfan Pathan. The occasion was the final of the inaugural ICC world T20 and India had posted 157 thanks to a special innings by Gautam Gambhir and a cracker of a cameo by Rohit Sharma. In the run chase, Pakistan were rocked early as they lost Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan as Pakistan were reduced to 65/4.

MS Dhoni then played his trump card. Irrfan Pathan was brought on in the 13th over and delivered with the wickets of Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi in the same over which saw Pakistan reeling at 77/5. A few overs later, he picked up the wicket of Yasir Arafat as Pakistan, despite a Mis-bah-ul Haq special, fell agonisingly short by five runs to hand India a memorable win in front of a packed bull ring.