5 spinners who could impact the World T20: At the time of the inception of the newest form of the game, 20-overs cricket, there was a general perception among people that this format was not meant for the spinners. But with time, everyone realized the dominant role of the spinners even in the shortest version of the game. In the inaugural edition of the World T20, the spinners accounted for only 24% of the total overs. But, in every subsequent edition, the ratio has only reached a notch higher than before. In the previous edition of the World T20, out of the top five leading wicket-takers, four were spinners.
Especially, as the World T20 is being held in India, the spinners are likely to don the role of the protagonists for their respective sides. The Indian pitches are generally slow and provides ample assistance to the spinners. And even if the pitches are flat, the pacers are relatively easy to deal with as they provide the necessary pace for the ball to come on to the bat. But spinners are tricky to deal with as they don’t offer much pace on the ball which when coupled with deceptive variations possesses paramount threat for the batsmen.
Today, SportzWiki unveils the name of 5 spinners who could impact the World T20:
1. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
The second highest wicket-taker in 2016 with 17 scalps to his credit, R Ashwin has proved his superiority in 20-overs cricket over time and again. One of the most improved bowlers in world cricket, Ashwin has all the deluding variations in his arsenal to fool the batsmen. The Indian offie is a street smart bowler and always devises new tricks to outsmart the wit of the batters.
The best part about Ashwin is that he is very versatile and performs remarkably well whether he comes to bowl in the Power Play overs or during the death overs. Even after being used up in the most difficult phases of the game, the Indian spinner has a miserly economy of 6.84 which is just astonishing. The way Ashwin excels in the high-pressure situations definitely make him a player to watch out for in the World T20.
2. Imran Tahir (South Africa)
The Pakistani-born spinner, Imran Tahir might well prove to be the X-factor for the Proteas in the World T20. The South African leggie is particularly very lethal on pitches which aid his spin. In World T20 2014 which was held in Bangladesh, he was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. This year as well, Tahir has been the chief tormentor for South Africa with 10 wickets in 5 T20I matches. Tahir’s characteristic knack of bamboozling the best batsman of the opponent side makes him the go-to bowler for his captain.
Apart from his belligerent form and excellence in limited overs cricket, he possesses ample experience of playing in the Indian conditions. The 36-year-old has been an active part of the Indian Premiere League (IPL) which will further enhance his confidence in World T20.
3. Samuel Badree (West Indies)
In the absence of Sunil Narine, the leg-spinner, Samuel Badree will lead the West Indies spin department. Probably, Badree has reached that phase of his cricketing journey where he knows well what works for him. The 35-year-old was the third highest wicket-taker in the previous edition of the World T20 with 11 wickets to his name. The West Indies spinner bowls really good line and lengths and is skillful in bowling tidy spells. After making 22 appearances in T20 internationals, the leggie has taken 31 wickets.
Badree’s mind-wobbling career economy of 5.39 in the shortest form of the game outlines his significance for West Indies. The leg-spinner also holds the experience of playing franchisee cricket around the world and has represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premiere League (IPL) as well. The right-armer would definitely be a spinner to watch out for in the World T20.
4. Adil Rashid (England)
Adil Rashid has emerged as the leading spinner for England in the last 12 months. Rashid along with Moeen Ali forms the core of the English spin attack. Adil seems like that dream leg-spinner for which the English team had longed for ages. The 28-year-old has all the magic tricks up his sleeve. The Yorkshire-born spinner is a master in bowling the conventional leg-spin, has a deceptive flipper which skids through rather quickly and his most lethal weapon, the googly which not only spins the other way around but also puts a batsman into jeopardy.
Rashid has taken 9 wickets in 12 T20 internationals but on Indian decks, he might well turn out to be a trump-card for the Poms.
5. Adam Zampa (Australia)
It was Adam Zampa’s majestic performances in Big Bash league (BBL) which earned him the national call-up, this summer. And after that, the leg-spinner has certainly not disappointed anyone with his potent performances at the top-level. Though, Zampa has played only 2 T20Is, but he has shown a great level of control and variety in what little we have seen of him. In a T20I match against India, when the other Australian bowlers were getting hammered all over the park, the rookie spinner showed great temperament and was able to even trouble the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at their peak.
Zampa is young and relatively inexperienced but he has shown glimpses of a very bright future ahead. In spin friendly conditions of India, he can well turn out to be a surprise package for the opponents.
**ALL STATS UPDATED TILL 10TH MARCH 2016.