T20 World Cup 2022: 3 fastest pacers to watch out for in the tournamentย
The preliminary round of the T20 World Cup 2022 is set to begin on Sunday (October 16). Sri Lanka and Namibia will lock horns in the opening game of the qualification stages, which will be played at the Simonds Stadium in Geelong.
The main tournament will commence on October 22, with as many as 12 teams battling out against each other for the ultimate T20I glory.
There is a famous saying which goes by that 'batters win you games, while bowlers win you tournaments'. This is true as any team without a complete and potent attack will find it difficult to prevail at a competitive tournament like the T20 World Cup.
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A category of bowlers who boost the might and intensity of the bowling attack are fast bowling pacers. Some of the world's best express speedsters will feature at the T20 World Cup 2022, and will be looking to make full use of the pace and bounce available on the pitches in Australia.
On that note, here are the top three fastest pacers to watch out for in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup.
#3 Mark Wood (England)
While England may not possess the best bowling attack in the tournament, they do have one of the fastest pacers in the world, Mark Wood.
Wood can be a really difficult bowler to face as his high-arm action allows him to generate extra bounce from any surface in the world.
The right-armer, who can consistently clock at 140 kmph or above, can be a genuine threat to the batters on the hard pitches in Australia.
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Wood missed a major chunk of action this year due to an injury he suffered in March. However, the Durham pacer made a stellar comeback last month, taking nine scalps in just three T20Is (two against Pakistan and one against Australia).
#2 Anrich Nortje (South Africa)
Another searing pacer who can light up the T20 World Cup 2022 with his tearaway speed is South Africa's Anrich Nortje.
The tall speed merchant is one of two Proteas pace spearheads alongside Kagiso Rabada. While Rabada is more of a complete bowler who bowls at mid 140s kmph, Nortje is an out-and-out speedster who can intimidate the opposition batters.
While his pace is an exceptional and rare aid, it can sometimes work against a bowler. This was recently seen with Nortje, who had a substandard white-ball tour against India.
In the two T20Is he played against the Men in Blue, Nortje picked up only a single scalp while leaking runs at an alarming rate of 12.2 and a bowling average of 73.
When in full flow, the 28-year old could be a menacing bowler to face, and it remains to be seen how he will fare in the upcoming marquee event.
#1 Haris Rauf (Pakistan)
Pakistan will head into the T20 World Cup with one of the most fearsome bowling lineups, especially with the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi from a knee injury.
However, one of the key members of the Pakistani pace attack will be Haris Rauf, who has shone bright of late. The Rawalpindi-born pacer, who has the ability to bowl all six deliveries in an over at more than 150 kmph, is doing a terrific job for the Greens of Pakistan.
In the 16 T20Is he has played, Rauf has been the highest wicket-taker for his country this year, taking 23 wickets at an economy of 7.8 and an average of 20.1.
Most T20I wickets since Haris Rauf's debut:
[Wkts @ Avg/Econ - Bowler]
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57 @ 11.0/6.1 - Sandeep Lamichhane ๐ณ๐ต
57 @ 18.4/7.0 - Tabraiz Shamsi ๐ฟ๐ฆ
56 @ 14.0/6.4 - Wanindu Hasaranga ๐ฑ๐ฐ
56 @ 20.7/8.1 - Ish Sodhi ๐ณ๐ฟ https://t.co/585KVDRB4D
A complete white-ball bowler, Rauf can be a quirky customer with the ball, especially with effective yorkers and slower deliveries in his repertoire.
Many cricket pundits and fans back Haris Rauf to be at his best once again in the T20 World Cup 2022. Will he be able to stamp his authority on the pacey surfaces in Australia? Only time will tell.