IPL 2020: Who bowled the most dot balls this year?
The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) came to a rather disappointing end with Mumbai Indians defending their title in a one-sided contest against Delhi Capitals at Dubai on Tuesday.
After restricting DC to 156 for 7 bowling first, Mumbai Indians chased down the target with ease, winning by five wickets and with eight balls to spare. With the triumph, Mumbai completed a 4-0 whitewash of Delhi at IPL 2020.
Delhi were on the back foot from the very first ball of the IPL 2020 final, after Trent Boult sent back Marcus Stoinis with a rising delivery outside off. Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan also fell early, and only fifties from skipper Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant reignited the chase to some extent. It was all easy for MI from there on as captain Rohit Sharma led from the front with a stroke-filled 68.
MI bowlers kept the pressure on DC throughout with Boult sending down 12 dot balls and Nathan Coulter-Nile 10. Dot balls are extremely significant in T20s considering the limited number of deliveries available to score with.
On that note, let’s take a look at bowlers who delivered the most dot balls in IPL 2020.
1. Jofra Archer (175)
Rajasthan Royals may have failed to progress past the first round in IPL 2020, but their lead pacer Jofra Archer produced a scintillating display of fast bowling. With well-directed short balls and excellent yorkers, Archer finished the tournament with 20 wickets in 14 matches at a strike rate of 16.70 and an economy rate of 6.55.
The standout aspect of his bowling during IPL 2020 was the fact that he sent down as many as 175 dot balls, rarely allowing the batsmen to go after him.
2. Jasprit Bumrah (175)
Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was crucial to the team’s title-winning performance yet again, matched Archer when it came to number of dot balls bowled, playing just one match more than the Rajasthan Royals fast bowler.
In 15 games, Bumrah finished with 27 scalps to his name at a strike rate of 13.33 and an economy rate of 6.73. Bumrah was key to his team's victories, either keeping the runs down, or claiming crucial scalps.
3. Rashid Khan (168)
When it comes to keeping things extremely tight, Sunrisers Hyderabad leggie Rashid Khan can never be too far behind. In 16 matches, he picked up 20 wickets at a strike rate of 19.20 and an incredible economy rate of 5.37.
Most teams tried to play him out safely in IPL 2020, which explains the high percentage of dot balls. The fact that Rashid managed to pick up as many as 20 wickets despite the opposition batsmen taking minimal risk against him is a tribute to the young spinner’s abilities.
4. Anrich Nortje (160)
Undoubtedly, the find of the season for finalists Delhi Capitals. Signed up as a replacement for Chris Woakes, Anrich Nortje impressed with his pace and his ability to bowl yorkers.
However, the fact that he sent down as many as 160 dot balls proves that he was accurate as well. In 16 matches, the South African fast bowler claimed 22 wickets at a strike rate of 16.63. He couldn’t get his act together in the knockouts, but it was an IPL 2020 to remember for him, nonetheless.
5. Trent Boult (157)
The man of the Match in the IPL 2020 final, Mumbai Indians left-arm pacer Trent Boult kept the opposition on tenterhooks right throughout the edition. In 15 matches, he picked up 25 wickets at an excellent strike rate of 13.76.
Apart from picking up wickets at regular intervals, Boult also kept things extremely tight, getting his line and length spot on, as is evident from the 157 dot balls he bowled. With Jasprit Bumrah wreaking havoc from the other end, there was no respite for the opposition batsmen.