Fast bowling will be an important aspect in the ICC WT20 2016 even though the pitches are expected to be favouring the spin bowlers. Under lights, the ball is almost certain to dart around and even though the movement might last only for a few overs early wickets will mean that the opposition team will be under pressure right from the start. Sri Lanka have a strong pace bowling attacking comprising of the best T20 bowler ever, a bowler who can achieve banana swing on good days and a tear away quick who has impressed one and all in a short time. Let us analyse these three bowlers and the impact they are likely to create.
Lasith Malinga
A slingy round arm action, he is a genuine wicket taker both with the new ball and at the death with an older one. At his very best, he is capable of delivering 6 accurate high speed yorkers at the feet of the batsmen giving them absolutely nothing to work with. He has been on the international circuit for more than 10 years now and every batsman knows what’s coming but such is his accuracy and such are the variations which he has developed that he is still a force to be reckoned with. He has a couple of deceptive slower balls, a menacing bouncer and he is able to generate out swing to right handed batsmen on a consistent basis. When you throw in his unique action and the fact that he is remarkably accurate, he becomes a fire breathing monster for the opposition batsmen especially when they are under pressure to score quickly.
He is the only bowler to take three hat tricks in ODI cricket and remains the only man to have claimed 4 wickets off 4 successive deliveries in international cricket. He is returning from yet another knee injury and only time will tell if he can deliver high impact performances that he is known for.
Impact Rating – 8/10
Nuwan Kulasekara
The partner in crime with Malinga, Kulasekara has the ability to generate huge in-swing to the right handed batsmen while he is also capable to get it to snake away at the last moment. He can also bowl a lovely back of the hand slower ball and reverse the ball as well. It was Kulasekara, who along with Lasith Malinga bowled the wide of off-stump yorkers to perfection in the last WT20 final against India to strangle them in the death overs.
He is also a very capable lower order batsman who can hit big shots after getting his eye in. he has played 44 T20I’s for the Lankans claiming 48 wickets while giving away just around 7.25 runs per over.
Impact Rating – 6/10
Dushmantha Chameera
Chameera is an out and out quick bowler and I was very impressed by what I saw of him in the three T20I’s that he played for the Lankans against India earlier this month. He bowled with plenty of fire and generated disconcerting bounce that rattled the Indian batsmen even on slow tracks. He might not be a finished product by any means as he still lacks the consistency and accuracy at times but it will be exciting to see him unleashed along with Malinga for sure!
Impact Rating – 8/10
Sri Lanka has a great mix of pace bowlers who can be a big threat to any team and who will look to unsettle the opposition batsmen with pace and swing.
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