Top 5 bowlers of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013

The batsmen have learnt a few new tricks in the trade with the development of the shorter format of the game. It means that they are a lot more confident in the last few overs and with the introduction of batting power-plays, the game just can’t get any more friendly for the batsmen. This change has been reflected in the Champions Trophy as teams try to preserve wickets in the opening overs with two new balls being used from different ends, so that they can launch an attack in the last 15 overs. In such a situation, the roles that the bowlers play have changed drastically. The idea is to have a wicket-taking bowler upfront even if it means suffering a few blows, shackling the run rate in the middle overs with spin and have specialist death bowler operating at the end of the innings.

This Champions Trophy has seen the bowlers work hard for their wickets as the pitches have not been the most traditional. They have not assisted the bowlers a lot if we exclude the two semi-finals that gave a lot more encouragement to the fast bowlers. Inspite of that, there have been a number of low scoring matches in which the bowlers dominated the stage.

Here is a list of the Top 5 bowlers who have tilted the scales in favour of their respected sides.

5. Ryan McLaren: 8 Wickets @ Econ. 5.44

The South African had to step up to the occasion in the absence of Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. The tall right-handed bowler is neither of express pace nor prodigious swing but he stuck to a line and length on surfaces that helped the bowlers in the first few overs, and was rewarded. His role in South Africa’s charge to the semi-finals was the most important. He spelt doom for Pakistan as he finished with remarkable figures of 4/19 in his 8 overs. He bowled the final delivery of the match against the West Indies that was tied on the basis of the dismissal of Kieron Pollard off that ball once scores were redone according to the D/L method.