5 best bowling figures on T20 International debut

MS Dhoni was quite vocal in his assessment of the Indian team's performance after the loss in the first T20I. He said he had to bring in more experienced bowlers in the next game and then take it forward.

The move to bring in Barinder Sran had an immediate impact on the game. Sran, who had been decent right through the ODIs, sliced through the Zimbabwe top order. He picked up 4 wickets and sliced through the top order to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 4 for 28.

In the process, he became the most successful bowler for India in their T20 debut, as he surpassed Pragyan Ojha. Sran ended with figures 4 overs for 10 runs and picked up 4 wickets.

Here is the list of the top 5 performances by bowlers on their T20I cricket debut.

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#5 Kaushalya Weeraratne (Sri Lanka) and Harvir Baidwan (Canada)

Sri Lanka set Pakistan a target of 138, and Pakistan were coasting when Weeraratne struck. The right-arm fast medium bowler started his spell by picking up Younis Khan and then went on to claim the wickets of Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir. By the time he finished his spell, Pakistan were reeling at 91/7. However, no further wickets fell and Pakistan went on to win the match by 3 wickets.

Harvir Baidwan, the right-arm medium bowler picked up 4 wickets against the Netherlands and helped Canada win the game by 4 wickets. His spell ensured that Netherlands could only muster 97 runs in 18.4 overs. Certainly a debut to remember.

#4 Devendra Bishoo (West Indies)

The diminutive leg-spinner was playing his first match against Pakistan at the Gros Islet in St. Lucia and had an immediate impact.

A bowler who relies more on flight, loop and turn from his leg breaks took advantage of a low and slow wicket at St. Lucia and took 4 wickets for only 17 runs. His spell applied brakes to the Pakistani innings and helped West Indies come back into the contest.

He was also adjudged the man of the match for his spirited performance. West Indies won the match by 7 runs as Pakistan fell short chasing a target of 150.

#3 Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)

The mystery spinner had already made a name for himself heading into this match and showed his mettle once again against Zimbabwe.

Making his debut in King City, Canada, Mendis weaved a web around the lower order of Zimbabwe and bamboozled them to pick up 4 wickets for only 15 runs. His off-break and carrom ball was too much for the batsmen to decipher and Sri Lanka restricted Zimbabwe to 106 in 17 overs.

Sri Lanka were stretched during their chase but they got home in the end with 5 wickets to spare. Ajantha Mendis was the man of the match, without any surprises.

#2 Barinder Sran (India)

The left arm swing bowler has been impressive all through the series. He was rested for the first match in the T20 series, and the bowlers lacked depth. He was thus roped back into the team and made an immediate impact.

He sliced through the top order and left Zimbabwe on the mat at 28/4. His control and swing were on in full display and this performance should give him great confidence.

Zimbabwe were bundled out for 99, and India won the game with 10 wickets to spare, for the first time in their T20 history. This win levelled the 3-match T20 series.

#1 Elias Sunny (Bangladesh)

The slow left-arm bowler wreaked havoc against Ireland in Belfast and picked up 5 wickets for only 13 runs.

After setting a target of 191 for Ireland, the spinner got into his groove and spun his way around the Irish to hand Bangladesh a win by a whopping margin of 71 runs. He became the first Bangladesh bowler to take 5 wickets in T20 Internationals.

Ireland could never decipher Sunny and they were restricted to 119/8. Sunny was the man of the match, and thus became the first player to be adjudged man of the match in two formats after he was the player of the match in his first Test Match against the West Indies.