T20 World Cup 2022: Bowlers Too Can Make The Ball Talk

For a purist, watching an even contest between a cricket bat and a ball is a dream come true. Australian pitches in Perth, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and Adelaide have once again brought the art of bowling into the limelight. In recent times, flatter tracks in Asian countries have proved to be graveyards for bowlers. Not in Australia, though.

The two teams that sealed their berth in the finals of the coveted tournament this time around had something special which the others lacked. For instance, bowlers such as Mark Wood and Haris Rauf clocked speeds of150+ kmph.

The fast and furious duo comprising Wood and Rauf made the ball talk. There was some chin music that the batters had to face, negotiate and endure. Moreover, the two finalists (England and Pakistan) had a genuine left-arm pacer, each. Sam Curran for England and Shaheen Shah Afridi for Pakistan.

Besides this, Pakistan had two more talented and dangerous bowlers such as Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim Jr. In the spin bowling department too, Pakistan were richer as they had Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan in their Playing XI. Such variety is rare. That is perhaps why the reputed commentators and experts rightly described Pakistan's bowling attack as the best in the competition.

At the same time, England's batting depth was no surprise. Their white-ball cricket has seen steady progress since Eoin Morgan led the side. Previously, the England team was often criticized, even mocked, for playing textbook cricket with no appetite for innovation and flair. Morgan brought a new flavor to this side. The team was rewarded in 2019 when it was deservedly crowned world champion in the 50-over format.

Be that as it may, in the spin bowling department too, both Pakistan and England were lucky to have wily leg spinners in Shadab and Adil Rashid respectively. This speciality ensured that both teams could defend modest targets in Australian conditions. Rashid was not scared to give the ball air, offer a flight, and use his wrist to outwit the batters too eager to hit sixes.

Australia's big grounds provided enough cushion to the spin bowlers. They were not afraid to toss the ball into the air. More often than not, guile worked wonders.

Furthermore, Pakistan were lucky to have all-rounders like Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab, Iftikhar Ahmed and Wasim Jr. Perhaps, they should have added Faheem Ashraf as a bowling all-rounder to their squad. Not to be.

Despite having dashers and aggressive opening batters like Jos Buttler and Alex Hales, scores in the first powerplay were modest by T20I standards in Australian conditions. Barring a few exceptions, most teams struggled to post 40 runs in the first six overs. A team like India could manage scores in the range of 30s in their three or four games. They were reduced to 45-4 in 10 overs in a game against their arch-rivals, Pakistan.

An even contest between bat and ball made this tournament pleasing to the eye. Enthusiasts were glued to their television and mobile phone screens. Sports lovers enjoyed the idea of fast bowlers and skilful spinners dominating the proceedings.

In the finals at historic Melbourne ground in presence of an estimated 80,000+ spectators, Naseem Shah's bowling against Jos Buttler was simply out of the world. Buttler was struggling. He tried to hit the ball and present a full face of the bat, but failed most of the time to make any meaningful contact with the moving ball. Shah's out-swingers were poetic verses. For once Buttler did connect and hit Shah for a six, though. But that was it. Overall, Shah was on song.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan's bowling was by far the best in the tournament. Their bowlers were head and shoulders above the rest. Watching Haris Rauf bowl in the power play, in the middle overs, and in the death was a sheer delight. Wasim Jr. kept bowling toe-crushing and swinging yorkers at the death.

And who can forget Shaheen Shah Afridi's missiles in the first over. It is amazing that almost every batter knows what Afridi has to offer and yet they often fail to negotiate his in-swinging yorker. Allen in the semi-finals, and Alex Hales in the finals.

In the Super 12 stage, bowlers such as Lockie Ferguson, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Arshdeep Singh and Wanindu Hasaranga made the ball dance to their tunes. Bowlers from associate nations, including the Netherlands and Ireland, also performed well with the ball.

What was also worth appreciating during the just-concluded World Cup in Australia was how teams like Scotland and Ireland beat the West Indies and England, how Zimbabwe emerged victorious against Pakistan, and how the Netherlands stunned South Africa. Though players like Rilee Rossouw and Glenn Phillips did score centuries, this tournament will be remembered for fast and spin bowling.

Obviously, one cannot ignore the commercial aspect of the game. Fans prefer sixes and fours. But if the game is tilted heavily in favor of batters only, it ends in boredom. That is why the longish boundaries in Australia ensured that there was never a dull moment. After negotiating ruthless fast bowling spells in the power play, the batters had to work hard to amass their runs and collect ones and twos by dabbing the ball around and placing it through vacant areas.

Overall, the tournament in Australia shall be remembered for the art of fast and spin bowling. Thank God, the pitches had spice and bounce. There was movement in the air and off the pitch. For once, the bowlers had their say. Going forward, that is what is required. The World Cup in Australia has been a great advert for bowling.

Spells by Shah, Rauf, Nortje, Ngidi, Wood, Ferguson, Boult, Southee, Curran, Stokes and Woakes will inspire the new generation to bowl fast and swing the ball. There will also be future Hasarangas, Shadab and Rashid, too. Sadly, India made their key leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal warm the benches.

It is no secret that the shorter format in cricket, also referred to as T20, has gained immense popularity since the inaugural edition way back in 2007. Under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's dynamic leadership, India were the winner of the first T20I World Cup.