ICC Champions Trophy 2017: 5 reasons why teams have struggled in the middle overs

#4 A good spell

Tahir’s spell started Sri Lanka’s collapse in a group game

Cricket in its simplest form is a contest between bat and ball where either of those has to triumph in the end. And if we are looking at dramatic collapses of batting teams after a good start, one simply has to take into account a good bowling spell.

A good bowling spell might either be a case of a bowler troubling opposition batsmen or in limited overs cricket, it could just be a good spell of tight, economical bowling which increases the pressure on the opposition batsmen.

We have been lucky to witness both in the Champions Trophy this year. When Sri Lanka were bundled out for 203 while chasing 300 against South Africa, it was the leg-spin of Imran Tahir that did all the damage as he came away with a spell of 4 for 27.

England who were touted to be one of the tournament favourites were sent packing by Pakistan in the first semi-final thanks to a brilliant spell of 3 for 35 by Hasan Ali in the middle overs. It is his bowling during the middle overs that has been the success formula for Pakistan in this tournament.

And in the second semi-final against Bangladesh, it was Kedar Jadhav’s golden arm that brought India back into the contest. Bangladesh were cruising at that stage but it was Jadhav’s double-blow coupled with his economical bowling that helped India restrict Bangladesh to a modest total.