Bowling in the death overs of a T20 game is perhaps the toughest challenge for any bowler. Because the batters are aiming to hunt the leather on virtually every single ball in the last phase of an innings.
The IPL 2023 has been a high-scoring tournament with 200+ totals being scored for over two dozen times – the most in a single edition of the IPL – and also being chased down, some even with plenty of balls to spare. Mumbai Indians alone have gunned down targets of 200 and over thrice in this season.
In such case, death bowling could be the difference between two sides, between winning and losing, between chasing down the target in the last over or mitigating the NRR dent.
In this article we look at the best death bowlers in IPL 2023 so far:
Matheesha Pathirana
CSK’s Matheesha Pathirana has been, without any debate, the best death bowler of the IPL 2023. The slingy-actioned Matheesha Pathirana, playing in his first full season in the IPL, has been one of the bright spots in the IPL 2023.
The Sri Lankan youngster has been a crucial part of CSK’s success so far in the tournament, and without whom CSK perhaps wouldn’t have been in the second position in the points table that they are now.
Matheesha Pathirana has taken 12 wickets in the death overs, at an average of 11.33 and a terrific economy of 8.32. He’s bowled 37 dot balls in the death overs – the most by any bowler in the tournament.
Yuzvendra Chahal
The senior India and Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal has often been deployed in the death overs as well by skipper Sanju Samson. And Chahal has more often than not stepped up and delivered.
Chahal has snapped up 9 wickets in the final 4 overs of an innings. His economy of 5.9 is simply outstanding, and easily the best in the death overs in IPL 2023. Chahal is in the race for the Purple Cap once again with 21 wickets in 13 games.
Mohit Sharma
At the Gujarat Titans, Mohit Sharma is having a second wind in his career. And what a sensational comeback he’s made in the IPL: 17 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of 7.45.
Hardik has mostly used Mohit Sharma after 8-9 overs of an innings and he’s bowled majority of his overs in the second half of an innings. Mohit has been the designated death overs bowler for Gujarat this season, and he’s turned back the clock to his CSK days.
Mohit has taken 9 wickets in the death overs phase while maintaining a tidy economy of 8.3.
