IPL 2018: Top 3 lethal opening bowling combinations

Kagiso Rabada is one of the best in the world, currently
Kagiso Rabada is one of the best in the world, currently

Cricket is all about hunting in pairs. Just like batsmen, bowlers too need to work in partnerships, and opening the bowling in T20 cricket is not something every bowler likes to do.

With short boundaries, a hard new ball, and just two fielders outside the circle, opening the bowling in T20 cricket needs skill, expertise, and an ability to read batsmen's mind. It’s all about momentum in T20 cricket and with even the good balls going for boundaries, it is important for bowlers to help each other.

We have seen some successful opening bowling partnerships in IPL. Malinga and MJ McClenaghan, Mohit Sharma and Ashish Nehra, Morkel and Umesh Yadav, all formed ruthless partnerships in the past seasons.

On that note, let’s take a look at three lethal opening bowling combinations in IPL 2018.


#3 Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris (Delhi Daredevils)

Morris could be the key to Delhi's success in IPL 2018
Morris could be the key to Delhi's success in IPL 2018

Of the eight franchises in IPL 2018, Delhi Daredevils has arguably the best pace bowling attack. Kagiso Rabada and Chris Morris are two of the best new ball bowlers in limited overs cricket right now.

Rabada opens the bowling for South Africa in all formats while Morris is the Proteas' limited-overs expert. The former has played 44 T20 games so far in his career and picked up 53 wickets, while the latter has taken 177 wickets from 143 T20 games.

These two South African bowlers opened the bowling for Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2017, where Rabada picked up 6 wickets in 6 games while Chris Morris picked up 12 wickets in 9 games.

There will be no shortage of pace, seam movement, and bounce when these two quickies take the new ball in IPL 2018, and they are expected to share the new ball once again for Delhi.

#2 Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah (Mumbai Indians)

Cummins was brilliant for Delhi last season
Cummins was brilliant for Delhi last season

Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah are two of the best young fast bowlers in world cricket right now. Cummins has been a consistent performer for Australia this season, while Bumrah is in the form of his life, at the moment.

The Indian pacer picked up 20 wickets for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2017 and led them to their third IPL title with some stunning bowling performances throughout the season. With 15 wickets in 12 games, Cummins was exceptional for the Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2017.

These two could form a deadly partnership for Mumbai Indians in the 11th edition of the IPL. Bumrah’s accuracy and Cummins’ pace and bounce will make it really hard for the opening batsmen to score runs.

#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandeep Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Sandeep Sharma is one of the most underrated bowlers in India
Sandeep Sharma is one of the most underrated bowlers in India

Pace and bounce dominated the two previous partnerships in this list, this partnership is all about the swing. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a complete bowler and can swing the new ball at pace, and is equally effective in the death overs with his variations.

Though Sandeep Sharma did not make it big in international cricket, he has impressed in the IPL, over the years. He picked up 18, 13, 15, and 17 wickets respectively in his last four IPL seasons, most of them with the new ball.

With their ability to swing the ball both ways, these two could really make it hard for the opening batsmen to get into a rhythm. Expect them to be amongst the wickets in IPL 2018.

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Edited by Nishant Jayaram