If a bowler starts a day awfully, it becomes an uphill task for him to make a valiant comeback in that game itself. His confidence goes for a toss and his captain too loses confidence in him. So for a bowler, it becomes a challenge to make a grand comeback in the game after being thrashed in his first few overs.
But there is another side of the coin too. In the shorter formats of the game, a bowler is expected to finish well. There lies the opportunity for him to make a grand comeback and stamp his authority on the game.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah just experienced this sort of a predicament in the encounter against Bangladesh in the ICC T20 World Cup 2016. Bumrah was having a terrible day in the field as he dropped a simple a catch of Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal and also conceded 4 runs courtesy of abhorrent fielding.
Also with the ball, Bumrah bowled a terrible second over in which he conceded 16 runs. However, the young man didn’t bog down under pressure and delivered when it mattered the most.
In the crucial penultimate over, Bumrah conceded just 6 runs and left Bangladesh needing 11 off the last over which they failed to do. Bumrah didn’t pick up any wickets but bowled exceptionally well under pressure as he kept the Bangladesh batsmen in check.
There are several instances like this which have happened in the World Cup history across the formats when a bowler came back well after a disastrous opening spell.
1. Ishant Sharma’s 18th over in the ICC Champion’s Trophy Final, 2013
From zero to hero, from being the potential antagonist to surprisingly become the protagonist- Ishant Sharma has seen it all in his topsy-turvy spell in the ICC Champion’s Trophy Final, 2013 against England.
Ishant conceded 27 runs in his first three overs and was without a wicket. Indian skipper MS Dhoni brought him in to bowl the 18th over when England required 28 runs off the last three overs. England batsman Eoin Morgan hit him for a six in the second ball of the over as the match looked dead and buried for India.
Then he bowled two consecutive wides to make matters worse for India. However, Ishant had the last laugh as he scalped two big wickets in his next two balls.
He got both the set batsmen Morgan and Bopara out and brought India back into the game once again. He finished his spell with a dot and a one. India defended 19 runs in the last two overs and scripted a memorable win to lift the coveted ICC Champion’s Trophy title.
2.Lasith Malinga’s 4 wickets against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup
The Sri Lankan speedster had a memorable outing against South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 when he picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls. Though his efforts went in vain, yet it was one of the most remarkable spells ever bowled by a bowler.
Malinga was going for plenty as his figures read 43 runs in 7 overs without a wicket. In ODI circumstances, he was having an off day. But suddenly the death over specialist rose to the occasion as he almost won the game for Sri Lanka.
Chasing 209 for victory, South Africa were cruising all along. Suddenly in the 45th over of the game, Malinga changed the course of the match with two wickets in the last two balls of the over. He came back again in the 47th over to pick up two wickets in his first two balls.
South Africa suddenly were reeling at 206 for 9 and it was Malinga who almost did the impossible. But Robin Peterson held his nerve and won the game for the Proteas.
3. Lakshmipati Balaji’s final over in the 2012 T20 World Cup
In the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup, Balaji did something similar in a Group 2 encounter against South Africa. He was given the task to bowl the final over with South Africa requiring 14 runs off the last over.
Balaji started the over in a disastrous manner as Albie Morkel hit him for a massive six. But in the next ball, Balaji had the laugh as Morkel dragged the ball on to his stumps. However, there was a twist in the tale as Morkel’s junior brother Morne hit Balaji for another six in the 4th ball of that over.
Again Balaji came back strong as he castled Morkel and won the game for India by a solitary run.
4. Dale Steyn’s 5 for 50 in the 2011 Cricket World Cup against India
India in their ICC World Cup match against South Africa in 2011 started in a blistering manner as they scored 100 runs in almost 12 overs. India were at one stage looking strong at 267 for 2. However, it was time for South Africa’s premier fast bowler Dale Steyn to show his mettle with the ball.
Steyn who went for plenty in his first few overs came back strong as he picked up a five-for and restricted India to a total of 296 as India lost their last 9 wickets for just 29 runs. Dale Steyn triggered the collapse as he conceded just 9 runs in his final 3.4 overs.
Steyn picked up 5 wickets in his final 3.4 overs and pegged the Indians back with some great bowling at the death.
5. Zaheer Khan’s superb comeback spell against England in the ICC World Cup 2011
When India posted 338 on the board in their ICC World Cup 2011 encounter against England at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, they looked well on course for a comfortable victory. However, England skipper Andrew Strauss had other ideas. He batted magnificently and almost threatened to finish the game on his own.
But India had Zaheer Khan. He was expensive in his first few overs as his figures read 53 runs in 7 overs without a wicket. However, he turned the game on its head with a brilliant display of reverse-swing bowling as he scalped both the set batsmen Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss in consecutive deliveries.
The reverse swinging yorker to Strauss was a pure delight. He then picked another wicket to peg the England team back. The match ended in a tie and it was largely due to the efforts of India’s old wily left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan.
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