The T20 World Cup 2022 is at about its halfway stage in the Super 12 round. It has been an exciting tournament so far with a number of upsets, some thrilling matches, and a few games being washed out as well making up for interesting positions in the points table.
Overall, it has been bowlers who have dominated the tournament in all venues barring Sydney, unlike in the UAE where last year’s T20 World Cup was dominated by batsmen, especially while chasing. In Australia, conditions and pitches have offered plenty of assistance for bowlers.
Dale Steyn picks his top 5 fast bowlers in the competition, no Indian in his list
Legendary South Africa speedster Dale Steyn is covering the tournament in Australia as a commentator. Speaking to ICC, Steyn was asked to pick his top 5 fast bowlers who he feels will make the most impact in the ongoing tournament.
The 39-year-old started with compatriots, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.
“Rabada is the leader of the South African attack. I’m hoping South Africa can go on and win this World Cup and him doubling up with Anrich Nortje as my other fast bowler from South Africa, I think the two of them in combination are just fantastic,” Steyn said, as quoted by t20worldcup.com.
“They’ve got great pace, they’ve got good skill especially in Australia, Rabada seems to up a level whenever he gets to Australia, so I’m looking for that competitive streak to come out of him, and the two of them can go on and help South Africa to win this World Cup.”
Steyn’s third fast bowler is England’s pacy Mark Wood, who has clocked 150 KPH in the tournament, and fourth is Australia’s fiery Mitchell Starc.
“Mark Wood is a favourite of mine from England. I saw him the other night and he said to me he’s going to bowl well. I think he’s the first fast bowler to bowl all 24 balls in his spell of four overs over 140 kilometres an hour. He didn’t look to bowl one slower ball, he’s just absolutely fantastic. He wants to rush batters, bowls a great yorker and a fantastic bouncer, and I think if England are going to go all the way, Mark Wood’s going to take them there,” Steyn said.
“He’s just a fantastic fast bowler. He is well experienced here in Australia, has won the World Cup a couple of times – a 50-over World Cup as well as a T20 World Cup with Australia.
“Heaps of experience again, another big wicket-taker, left-arm, something different, he scares the batters with sheer pace and just through exceptional experience over the years and World Cup-winning medals, he knows how to win tournaments,” he added.
Steyn finished off with Pakistan’s young pace sensation Shaheen Afridi.
“And my final fast-bowler is Shaheen Shah Afridi, who again is another left-arm quick bowler. We saw him in the previous T20 World Cup and he was just absolutely amazing.
“He has great skill, does look to swing it back to the right-handers and has got good skill when it comes to the slower ball, a very fast bouncer and again, another guy that Pakistan are going to rely on if they want to beat South Africa to make it through to the semi-finals.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s going to be the guy,” the former Protea pacer asserted.
