5 Most Economical Bowlers In T20 Internationals

T20 cricket is now the most popular format around the world, with domestic leagues evolving in several countries. The shortest format of the game, ever since its inception, is considered as a batsmen's game, because of the shortened length of the game and the shortened boundaries. Batsmen have improvised and produced shots that someone from the 80s or 90s could even imagine. More often than not, bowlers have been at the receiving end.

But that does not make bowlers any less important in this format. T20 World Cups have mostly been won by teams with very good bowling attacks. While batsmen look to hit every ball, bowlers try to give away as fewer runs as possible in their quota of four overs. And with time, bowlers have adapted to the demands of the game and developed ways to contain the marauding batsmen. Wide yorkers, slower bouncers, knuckle-balls are all improvisations whose evolution can be credited to the shortest format of the game.

Here we look at 5 most economical bowlers in T20 internationals (minimum 20 matches) :

#5 Rashid Khan (6.06)

The Afghan teen sensation is currently one of the best spinners in the world in limited overs cricket. He has not only excelled in internationals against lesser teams but he has also bamboozled top T20 teams like West Indies and Pakistan. Not only that, he is currently one of the most valuable players in T20 leagues around the world.

Rashid has played a total of 35 matches and picked up 64 wickets at an average of 12.41, the best in this list.

#4 Imad Wasim (6.03)

Imad Wasim has provided great starts to Pakistan with the new ball ever since his debut and is an integral part of the team. Though he has not much to show in the wickets tally, he, more often than not, concedes less than run a ball. He is also a handy batsman at number 7 and an athletic fielder.

The Pakistani spinner with an economy of 6.03 in T20Is stands fourth in the list. Having played in 31 games so far, Imad has 35 wickets to his name with an average of 19.63.

#3 Sunil Narine (6.02)

The mystery spinner from Trinidad and Tobago was one of the most difficult spinners to score off during his prime days. Not only in internationals, in almost every T20 league he played, he became the highest wicket taker as well the most economical bowler. He is currently used as a pinch-hitting opener by most teams as well.

Sunil Narine has 50 wickets to his name from 48 games at an average of 20.68,with the best figures of 4/12. He stays slightly ahead of Imad Wasim with an economy rate of 6.02.

#2 Hiren Varaiya (5.96)

The former Kenya international, a left arm orthodox bowler, Hiren Varaiya stands second in the list of most economical bowlers in T20 internationals with an economy of 5.96.

He is the only bowler from a non-Test playing nation in this list. Varaiya has just 18 wickets to his name from 25 games at an average of 25.61.

#1 Daniel Vettori (5.70)

The former Kiwi skipper, one of the greatest players from New Zealand, is the most economical bowler in T20 internationals till date with an economy 5.70. The Kiwi all-rounder was part of the Delhi Daredevils in the initial IPL season and is currently coaching the Royal Challengers Bangalore.