As of now, teams are losing chasing lower scores on regular basis, and at same time targets are not getting bigger.
Twenty20 can be a torch bearer for both Test matches and ODI matches, nevertheless currently its favoring bowlers more than batsmen, which means we are forced to look at basic skills very minutely.
At this moment, "boundary riders" are determining factor in winning a T20 game, and so far teams that have scored more boundaries have won maximum games, and only few times we witness otherwise.
– In, 2010WC only once we witnessed a team winning a game with less boundaries to their credit, as the losing side had a difference of “1boundary” to their credit.
Cricket has been designed in a such a way that it allows "3different skills"not only to excel individually, & fulfill ones potential, but also determine game’s outcome, yet the game’s length decides individual brilliance, and sometimes these skills are not completely fulfilled when it favors “1” particular skill heavily.
Currently cricket is played in 3different formats, and they are length-based, & time-based, each determined by number of overs and days to be played with.Their basic function remains same.
Twenty20, is the latest to be recognized by cricket’s international body where each team play 20overs.
This format gives more opportunity to individual brilliance, more than any other format, hence you would see only few brilliant performances of each skill, and they are not displayed all the time.
So far in all T20I there have been 205fifties scored by batsmen, with opening pair contributing 53.17%, and 8.59 % for players who bat below V.
T20 is 120 balls, and if one has to score substantial runs (25 + or 50+) then they need to spend some time in middle to score these runs, and openers have the best opportunity to do so, and same is the case for players who bat in middle order, yet win factor are much less, as its effectiveness is reduced compared to bowler’s 4wkt haul.
If we have to equate bowlers 4wkt haul to batsman fifties, than their success rate is far greater, because currently batsmen scoring fifties rewards 62% win, and bowler’s picking 4wkt haul rewards 74.50% win for teams!.
Tactical Method for Batsmen to excel:
With 120balls per inn, it is mandatory for an opener to play a ghost innings, ie be there till end, yet not get noticed till half way.
Dilshan’s century against Australia in 1st T20 game in SL, is an ideal example for openers to pace their innings, as he batted till the end, yet half way through the innings his score was 31(25balls) & SL were 76/2 (10overs). Then from 15overs he attacked the bowling, as Lankans managed to score 80runs in last 5overs!.
Although its not necessary that teams can score so many runs in last 5overs regularly, but idea is to have your opener or a No3 to bat through out the innings, with strike rate of 100+ at half way mark, yet have less balls faced, then with wickets in hand it would much easier to attack in last 7/5overs.
| Batting order | Fifties contibution(%) | Success rate(%) |
| Openers | 53.17% | 64.22% |
| Bat No.3 | 18.05% | 19.27% |
| Bat No.4 | 16.10% | 20.18% |
| Bat No.5 | 7.32% | 7.34% |
| Bat No.6 | 3.90% | 5.50% |
| Bat No.7 | 1.46% | 0.92% |
Tactical method for Bowlers to excel:
So far inT20I, 51x 4wkt haul have been taken by bowlers, and in that only 5of them conceded more than 7Runs/Over!..
Yet, unlike opening batsmen, opening bowlers are less successful in picking 4wicket haul, as that credit goes to 3rd change bowlers, & also those who bowl beyond them, and they are more successful in picking 4wkts haul than opening bowlers, which actually is surprise knowing that white ball swings more than the red ball, but here the reason is completely different.
It seems most of the time teams are not using their strike bowlers to open the bowling, they are used as 2nd change, or 3rd change .
All this suggest that picking 4wkt haul with new ball is not very productive for teams, as bowlers are more successful picking them in middle or at end of an innings.
Not surprisingly Pakistan have the maximum 4wkt haul (10/51 =19.60%)to their credit, and interestingly shared equally by pace and spin.
Pakistan tactics to use their strike bowler in middle and end overs have paid good dividends, adding to this, their spinners have done excellent job aided by close in field tactics for new batsmen in middle overs. Pakistan almost every time use 5specialist bowlers, which does makes sense, as in 120balls/inn its bowlers who become more effective in picking wickets, then new-batsmen scoring boundaries at end of innings.
| Bowling Position | 4wkt haul(%) | Success rate(%) |
| Opening pair | 25.49% | 26.38% |
| 1st change | 23.53% | 21.05% |
| 2nd Change | 15.69% | 21.05% |
| 3rd change | 25.49% | 31.58% |
| Beyond | 9.80% |
10.53% |
| Year | Mts | 1st-bat Win(%) | 170(1st bat) frequency | 170+ success rate |
| 2005 | 3 | 66.67% | 66.67% | 100.00% |
| 2006 | 9 | 44.44% | 22.22% | 100.00% |
| 2007 | 38 | 42.14% | 31.58% | 91.67% |
| 2008 | 29 | 34.48% | 17.24% | 100.00% |
| 2009 | 48 | 56.25% | 31.25% | 86.67% |
| 2010 | 68 | 45.59% | 22.06% | 80.00% |
| 2011 | 8 | 75.00% | 12.50% | 100.00% |
| Total | 203 | 47.29% | 25.61% | 88.46% |
One is certain that all this measurement will change once teams play more games, both home and away.
Then these established statistics would be completely different than the current one processed.
It is interesting and shocking to know, that so far England, NZ, West Indies, South Africa & Zimbabwe have not yet played a T20I game in India, in fact only few of these teams played in sub continent, (6 in UAE , 2 in SL, 1 in Bangladesh), but not a single game in India!!.
All Data processed before India England T20 (31st August 2011)
