ICC World T-20:Top 5 bowlers to watch out for

If there's one aspect of cricket that's neglected in T20Is, it's the bowling. The bowlers are just expected to be a part of the piece, not the showstoppers themselves. A low scoring game is groaned upon, a bowler taking wickets hardly gains recognition. After all, it's a batsman's game. Yet, these are the men who stand between a team's win and a loss. When it comes to the hard tasks, these are the people who stand up and be counted.

So, who are going to be the bowling stars of this year's tournament? Here's our pick of five men who matter.

#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

 

 

It shouldn't surprise you if someone tells you that R Ashwin has rediscovered himself after the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2013, where the hosts almost chased down 458. Ashwin had figures of 0 for 83 from his 36 overs on a Day 5 pitch.

Since that Test, the off-spinner has played 57 matches and bagged 137 wickets at an average of 23.49 across formats. Impressive, isn't it? What makes Ashwin more lethal is the familiarity of conditions. India isn't going to get pitches like they did in the recent home series against South Africa, however, that doesn't make Ashwin any less lethal. The way he tormented the South African batsmen and set them up in the Test series was a sight to behold.
 
In T20Is of course there isn't much time to set a batsman up but the way Ashwin has been bowling, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody if he plays a key role in India's campaign.

#2 Samuel Badree

 

 

Samuel Badree has played only T20Is for West Indies in his short career. The leg-spinner hasplayed 22 T20Is and has 31 wickets to his name at an average of 14.96. If the average still doesnttell you how potent he is, his economy - 5.39 - should.

One of Badrees strengths is his accuracy. He last turned up for West Indies in July 2014 and isstill ranked the No. 1 amongst T20I bowlers in the world.

Badree has been plying his trade in various T20 leagues around the world and has been in goodform. In the recently concluded Big Bash League, he ended his campaign by picking up 5 for 22for the Brisbane Heat. With pitches expected to help the slower bowlers like Badree and SunilNarine, and if hes clearedcharge in the event.

#3 Mustafizur Rahman

 

 

Picture this - a young pacer, 20, all too normal, makes his debut and wreaks havoc in his first game to end with 5 for 50 against India. Mustafizur Rahman's rise as a bowler has been phenomenal. He has 26 sticks to his name from nine One-Day Internationals at an average of 12.34. It isn't his pace that troubled the batsmen but the cutters he bowled against Pakistan, India and South Africa that left the batsmen baffled.

Change of pace is going to be key for the quicks in the tournament and, at the moment, Rahman possess a very good slow ball. He has an impressive economy of 5.45.

#4 Kagiso Rabada

 

 

Kagiso Rabada emerged as a youngster with a lot of potential in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2014. Since then, he went on to make his debut in all three formats for South Africa and more recently led his team to a Test win against England with figures of 13 for 144 in Centurion and more importantly in the absence of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.

Not too long ago, Rabada was in India tormenting the Indian batting line-up in the limited-overs series. He was the joint highest wicket-taker for the visitors in the ODI series with Steyn, having bagged 10 wickets to his name from five games.
 
Rabada is fairly inexperienced at this level with only six Tests, 10 ODIS and eight T20Is to his name but he has the potential to turn things around.

#5 Adil Rashid

 

 

Adil Rashid made a horrendous start to his Test career and in his debut Test against Pakistan inAbu Dhabi ended with figures of 0 for 163 from his 34 overs. But boy, how he turned it aroundin the second innings to breathe life back in the game and take England on the verge of a win.He picked up 5 for 64 in the second innings to dismantle the Pakistan batting line-up and thatshows the temperament his has. In a big tournament like the World Cup, its important thatplayers are mentally strong and Rashid, with his performance in his first Test, proved his mettle.

Rashid ended as the second-highest wicket-taker in the Big Bash with 16 wickets from ninegames at an impressive economy of 6.51 and hell be crucial to Englands chances and will be anable partner for Moeen Ali.

 Source:© Cricbuzz

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