IPL 2016: Rating the 8 bowling attacks in the IPL
As the race for the playoffs intensifies, each IPL team has started zeroing in on their combinations so as to put in place a settled line-up to feature in the knockouts.
While the T20 format is generally known as the format of the batsmen, more often than not, it has been a team’s bowling that has proved out to be the difference maker in a match.
This IPL season has been no different, as on several occasions we’ve found that the bowlers have done the job for the team and have created a considerable impact on the game. Conversely, teams with weak bowling attacks have suffered in the league as well.
The re-emergence of the yorker as a death-overs tool and the cunning usage of slower balls have made some of the bowlers almost unplayable at the fag end of the innings. Here, in this article, we take a close look at the bowling attacks of all 8 teams in the IPL and rate them on a scale of 10.
1.Sunrisers Hyderabad: 9/10
Perhaps the most underrated team in the tournament, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have surprised one and all with their impressive performances this season. Inspired by the energy and the enthusiasm of their captain, David Warner, the Sunrisers have won 6 of their 9 games and are well in contention to qualify for the playoffs, and if I dare say, win the league.
As heroic the captain has been for them at the top of the order, their bowling has been equally good, if not better. The pace quartet of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mustafizur Rahman, Ashish Nehra, and Barinder Sran has been extremely penetrating, both with the new ball, as well as at then death.
Bhuvneshwar has swung the ball both ways in then early overs whenever there has been some swing on offer and so has Ashish Nehra, who was the Man of the Match in Hyderabad’s thumping 85-run victory over Mumbai Indians in Visakhapatnam in their return game against the defending champions.
Bhuvneshwar has taken 13 wickets from 9 games at an economy rate of 7.97 while Nehra, despite missing a few games due to a groin injury, has taken 5 wickets from as many games at a superb economy rate of 6.92.
Similarly, Mustafizur Rahman and Barinder Sran have also been amongst the wickets. Mustafizur, in particular, has carved out a niche for himself in terms of impeccable death bowling and devastatingly deceiving cutters.
Rahman has taken 13 wickets from the 9 matches that he has played and has conceded runs at just 6.15 runs per over. Sran, the third left-arm seamer in the SRH’s attack has grabbed 8 wickets from 7 matches.
Arguably, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have the best bowling attack of all teams in the IPL.