20. Umar Gul – Pakistan
He’s one of my three quick bowlers. I think, for Twenty20 cricket especially, you need to have some strike bowlers. He’s quick through the air, got good variations and can bowl a mean yorker at the end.
19. Eoin Morgan – England
He’s a damaging player; an important player during the middle overs. Very hard to set a field to. He hits the ball into unorthodox areas so is difficult to contain.
18. Johan Botha – South Africa
Another excellent spinner in this form of the game. He rarely goes for more than a run a ball which is crucial in Twenty20 cricket. He offers a lot in the field and a fair bit with the bat as well. A good all-round cricketer.
17. Daniel Vettori – New Zealand
A bit of a veteran these days, but what he lacks in the amount that he turns the ball he makes up for in variations in flight. So he’s still very hard to get away and is also very handy with the bat in latter overs.
16. Jacques Kallis – South Africa
In my opinion the best all-rounder there’s ever been. In Twenty20 cricket all-rounders are gold. Still offers a lot in all three departments.
15. Mahela Jayawardene – Sri Lanka
An orthodox player but has turned his Twenty20 game and is now one of the better players I think. A damaging top-order player. When he gets on a roll, he is just a quality player.
14. Shahid Afridi – Pakistan
He’s probably more consistent with the ball these days. His main attribute is his handy leg-spin bowling. He’s quite quick through the air so difficult to get to. We know that he’s damaging with the bat, but he is very inconsistent. A bit of an x-factor for any side.
13. Michael Hussey – Australia
I think the middle-over batsmen are very underrated in Twenty20 cricket, externally anyway. I think, internally, they’re very much appreciated. His level head through those middle overs is very, very valuable.
12. A.B. de Villiers – South Africa
A very good all-rounder. He keeps wicket and is just a quality batsman. Another one who can score all around the field. A very consistent player as well, so you know what you’re going to get with A.B.
11. Dale Steyn – South Africa
He can swing the new ball at very good pace. Early wickets in Twenty20 cricket is a big key, and Dale Steyn is one of my strike bowlers in the top 20.
10. Sunil Narine – West Indies
He will be very good in subcontinental conditions. Bowls stump-to-stump at a fairly brisk rate and has got the one that goes the other way as well. His rise, especially in limited overs cricket, has been quite remarkable.
9. David Hussey – Australia
I think he’s a bit of a finisher. Plays spin really well. Tends to read the game and pace his innings very, very well. He’s a very handy fielder as well, and can also offer a few overs.
8. Kieron Pollard – West Indies
The big West Indian can be very, very damaging in the latter overs. He generally bats from the 10th over onwards and tries to control the innings, especially in his run chases. No ground’s big enough for him - he can win a game from anywhere. Also bowls and fields extremely well.
7. Virender Sehwag – India
He’s one of my favourite cricketers to watch; it doesn’t matter what form of the game it is. He's a bit of an x-factor as well. Probably not as consistent as some other players, which is the reason I’ve got him as low as no.7, but on his day he is just mouthwatering to watch.
6. Shane Watson – Australia
A damaging opening batsman, capable of posting big scores. He’s done very well in the subcontinent as well so with the World Twenty20 being in Sri Lanka I think he should do very, very well. Obviously he also offers some valuable overs with the ball.
5. M.S. Dhoni – India
He’s shown over the years he’s got a very level head, so he is one of those players that under no circumstances panics at any stage during the game. Once again bats in the middle order. Very, very damaging, very hard to bowl to, very powerful, and obviously throw in his keeping as well. Sensational Twenty20 player.
4. Saeed Ajmal – Pakistan
We’ve seen him recently just mesmerise Australia's batsmen. I think his four overs at any stage during those 20 overs are going to be very hard for the opposition to get away. With Pakistan relying on those four overs, they can throw the ball to him and know that probably more often than not he’s going to get them almost back into the game from any situation. He’s obviously very hard to read. A very valuable player.
3. David Warner – Australia
He’s got a fantastic Twenty20 record. I think he’s second only to Chris Gayle in terms of hundreds made in Twenty20 cricket. Sensational fielder as well.
2. Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka
The third of my quick bowlers. Like Dale Steyn, he can swing the ball early. But I think his real strength is later on. Even in the first few overs, he can bowl yorkers, he’s got that ability, and over the years it’s been shown that that’s still the best bowling in any form of the game when the heat’s on.
1. Chris Gayle – West Indies
It was a toss-up between top-order players Gayle and Warner, but having just compared their records I think Chris Gayle has got the better record than David Warner at this stage. He’s just an imposing figure and I think, for opening bowlers, Gayle offers that little bit more of an intimidating presence than David Warner. So Chris Gayle is my No.1. He can throw in a couple overs as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment