In T20 cricket the last few overs can really decide the game. Batsmen take big risks, the tension builds and teams try to get every run possible. In those crazy last moments certain bowlers do well – they’re the death over specialists. These bowlers are not just good; they are steady, calm when it matters and have great yorkers, slower balls and strong nerves.
Whether it’s Jasprit Bumrah’s accurate yorkers or Mustafizur Rahman tricking batsmen with clever cutters, the best death bowlers have more than just speed, they have tactics, good control and stay cool under pressure. Here are five top bowlers who are great at the hardest job in T20 cricket: finishing games when everything is on the line.
Let’s look at the best at bowling in the death overs, the bowlers who change the game when everyone is watching.
Top 10 Death Bowlers in World Cricket
| Rank | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah |
| 2 | Trent Boult |
| 3 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
| 4 | Jofra Archer |
| 5 | Mitchell Starc |
| 6 | Kagiso Rabada |
| 7 | Mustafizur Rahman |
| 8 | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| 9 | Lasith Malinga |
| 10 | Mohammed Shami |
1. Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah is the benchmark for death bowling. His unusual action and ability to bowl yorkers with precision makes him a nightmare in the last overs. In T20 Internationals, he has an economy of 6.28. That means he conceds just over six runs an over. His death-over performance is even better with an economy of 6.85 and 20+ wickets in overs 16 to 20.
Those wickets account for 60% of his total wickets in that format. In the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he plays for the Mumbai Indians, Bumrah has 165 wickets in 133 games with an economy of 7.30 and a best bowling of 5 wickets for 10 runs. He’s the bowler everyone else is measured against in death overs.
2. Mitchell Starc
Starc’s pace and accuracy with his left-armers continues to make him a threat in all formats. In T20Is he has an economy of 7.74 and 79 wickets in 65 games. He doesn’t play much in the IPL due to his international commitments. He’s a valuable asset whenever he plays.
3. Jofra Archer
Archer has been out of action due to elbow injuries but his return would bring back one of the fastest and smartest death-over bowlers in the game. Recent stats aren’t available but Archer has an economy of 7.89 in T20Is and 7.13 in the IPL. Once he’s fully fit, his pace and cutters and yorkers would make him a force to be reckoned with in death overs for England and whichever franchise he plays for.
4. Mustafizur Rahman (“The Fizz”)
The Fizz has become a master of the slower off-cutter, a ball that’s very difficult to play under pressure. Since 2016 he has one of the best death-over economies in T20Is with an economy of 6.56 and 9 wickets in 95 balls in overs 16 to 20. That’s second only to Mohammad Naveed. In the IPL and other T20 leagues his economy is 7.69 which is in line with his international death-over stats. The Fizz’s subtle changes in pace and composure makes him a valuable asset in the last overs.
5. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is an experienced bowler who brings reliability in death overs with his clever swing and precise yorkers. He has a T20 international economy of 6.98 which goes up to around 8.0 in the IPL. He understands tactics and can follow instructions, making him a safe bet.
