5 (un)forgettable bowling performances at T20 World Cup
The T20 World Cup is heading towards its 10th instalment in February, with India and Sri Lanka set to host 20 teams in a month’s worth of action.
The tournament has grown since it was first staged which means there are an increasing number of smaller teams pitting their skills against the more established powers.
Sometimes those mismatches can result is some outrageous hitting, which in turn translate into horrible to look at bowling figures.
Surprisingly though, a quick look at the most expensive spells ever bowled at T20 World Cups features more big-name players than unknowns.
What is also curious is that even though there is the perception that teams are more aggressive now than they were in the games’ formative years, three of the most expensive ever spell in T20 World Cups came in the inaugural event in 2007.
Here’s a look at the five most expensive spells ever at the T20 World Cup.
1. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 4-0-64-0
- Versus Pakistan in Johannesburg, September 2007
The most expensive spell in T20 World Cup history belongs to one of Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players. Sanath Jayasuriya, more famous for his explosive batting than his left-arm spin, was taken apart by Pakistan in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
Facing a powerful line-up that included Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, Jayasuriya struggled to find any control and was targeted relentlessly. It didn’t help that the game was played at altitude in Johannesburg at a venue that is famed for being batsman friendly.
His four overs went for 64 without a wicket, at a time when such figures were considered unthinkable in international cricket. The irony was that Jayasuriya had built his own career on doing exactly this to bowlers around the world.
2. Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh): 4-0-63-0
- Versus Pakistan in Mirpur, March 2014
Bangladesh’s talismanic fast bowler endured a nightmare on home soil in 2014. Playing in front of a packed Mirpur crowd, Mortaza was expected to lead the attack but instead found himself on the receiving end of one of the most brutal innings in tournament history.
Ahmed Shehzad found form and everything seemed to fly from the middle of his bat as dominated the powerplay an never slowed down.
Mortaza’s variations were picked up with ease. Every attempt to bowl defensively was punished, and he ended with figures of 4-0-63-0 in a match where Pakistan posted 190 (to which Shehzad contributed 111) and cruised to victory.
Also read: 5 exciting under-23 stars poised for breakout T20 World Cup campaigns
3. Lameck Onyango (Kenya): 4-0-61-0
- Versus Sri Lanka in Johannesburg, September 2007
The only associate player on this list, Onyango’s spell came in the same tournament as Jayasuriya’s.
Kenya was up against a Sri Lankan side featuring Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene at their peak. Jayasuriya, who would go on to bowl his record spell a little later in the tournament smashed 88 from 44 balls.
Onyango was targeted through the leg side and over midwicket, with Sri Lanka showing no mercy. Despite his best efforts, he was simply outgunned by a team far superior in quality.
His 61 runs conceded remains one of the harshest statistical reminders of the gulf between emerging nations and elite sides at early T20 World Cups.
4. Stuart Broad (England): 4-0-60-0
- Versus India in Durban, September 2007
Broad’s place on this list is one of the most famous entries in T20 history. His final over against India went for 36 runs as Yuvraj Singh smashed six sixes in six balls, creating one of the sport’s most iconic moments.
Until that point Broad’s figures had been respectable, but the Yuvraj over destroyed them completely. He finished with 4-0-60-0, a spanking that is as memorable for the six sixes as it was for the overall runs conceded.
For all his later success across formats, this remains one of the defining images of his career for England.
5. Mitchell Starc (Australia): 4-0-60-0
- Versus New Zealand in Dubai, November 2021
Perhaps the most surprising name on the list is Starc, one of the premier fast bowlers of his generation.
In the 2021 group stage, New Zealand produced a masterclass in calculated aggression, with Kane Williamson simply outstanding – after coming in early he stayed till the penultimate over smashing 85 from 48 balls.
Starc was targeted at both ends of the innings with his death over yorkers repeatedly converted into boundary balls. Despite bowling at high pace and with his usual intensity, he had no answer to the precision hitting and ended with figures of 4-0-60-0.
Starc would have taken some comfort from the fact that Australia won the game anyway as they chased down New Zealand’s score of 172 for the loss of just two wickets.
Read next: Revealed – The 9 best T20 World Cup batters of all time
