Starting with a Trivia: Lasith Malinga holds the record of the highest number of wickets in death overs in IPL which is 90 followed by Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who have taken 77 and 66 wickets respectively.
Cricket has been batsman’s game from the time twenty-twenty was introduced. Since the introduction of IPL in 2008, bowlers usually have been at the receiving end.
This is why bowling in death overs is very critical for any IPL franchise. Teams with good death bowlers always have the edge over others and this year as well would not going to be any different with IPL taking place in the ‘City of Gold’.
With the 13th edition IPL just a few weeks away, it’s time we analyse the death over bowling of every IPL team and see where they stand.
1. Mumbai Indians
The defending champions undoubtedly have the best death bowlers this season too just like other seasons. Even without Lasith Malinga who recently pulled out of IPL due to personal reasons, Mumbai Indians are far ahead than others in of death bowling.
With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell McClenaghan in their squad, it would not be easy for other teams to smack them in death overs. With the addition of James Pattinson (replacement of Lasith Malinga) and Trent Boult to their squad, they have managed to create ruckus in other camps.
2. Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals have pretty effective death bowlers as per the pitches of UAE. Kagiso Rabada will come fully charged in this year’s IPL and his extraordinary yorkers in death can be a game-changer for his team.
A bowler like Keemo Paul with his cutters and slower deliveries in death overs can shift the momentum of the match in favour of his franchise. Delhi Capitals also have a veteran Ishant Sharma in their squad who would want to make a statement in the 13th edition of IPL and with the experience he has, he could prove to be very handy for his side.
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore
The side from Bangalore had covered the death bowling aspect in this year’s auction which they lacked in the last few seasons. Death bowling had been a problem for them in recent past, but this year they had done a reasonably good job.
They have a gun bowler in their squad whom the world knows by the name of Dale Steyn and if he remains fit then ‘May God Help’ opponent’s batsmen from his lethal yorkers in death overs. Chris Morris who would be playing for RCB this season also had performed pretty decently in death overs.
Bowlers like Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini can also nail yorkers in death overs, and that’s exactly what their side would want them to do.
4. Chennai Super Kings
CSK has a well-balanced bowling lineup, but bowling in death had been their problem since their comeback in 2018. But with the IPL being held in UAE this year, it could be a blessing in disguise for them as they have the bowlers whose cutters and slower deliverers can be handy in those wickets.
Dwayne Bravo had mastered the art of bowling in death overs, and the sluggish pitches of UAE would benefit him as well. Lungi Ngidi and Deepak Chahar have been the fast bowlers for CSK in recent years, and this season as well slow wickets in UAE could prove to be a blessing for them.
Sam Curran and Josh Hazelwood are the new additions to CSK’s squad this season, but you will see them warming the bench in most matches.
5. Rajasthan Royals
RR rightfully deserves the no.5 spot as far as the death bowling is concerned. They probably have the world’s best bowler, Jofra Archer but his form in 2020 had been below average.
Ben stokes can also bowl in right areas in death, but his availability is still doubtful. Oshane Thomas was one of the buys of RR in this year’s auction, and his inswinging yorkers, in the end, can rattle the batsmen’s confidence.
Tom Curran and Andrew Tye would be backup for Jofra Archer in case anything happens to him. Andrew Tye had shown in the past what he could do, and Tom Curran as well had performed brilliantly for his national side in the shortest format of the game, and he would want to prove his mettle here as well.
