Death bowling is one of the most difficult skills for bowlers to excel at, especially in the T20s. During death overs, the batsman has all the freedom to free his arms and try out his shots. It is for this very reason that bowling in death overs is considered an arduous job. Still, there have been some bowlers who have done this challenging task with great poise and competence. This article shows some of Srilanka's best T20I death bowlers.
1. Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga is regarded as the master of death bowling. Till now, cricket has not seen a better death bowler than him. He was decisive and skillful. He was a master at bowling slower balls and those loopy yorkers, which deceived the batsman every time he bowled them. With 107 wickets to his name in 84 matches, he is the highest wicket-taker for Srilanka in T20I.
2. Nuwan Kulasekara:
Nuwan Kulasekara played for Srilanka from 2003 to 2017 and was one of the best swing bowlers of his time. He was also the world’s number one ODI bowler in 2009, a feat no other Sri Lankan has achieved. In the 58 T20Is he played, he took 66 wickets at an economy of 7.45. He, along with Lasith Malinga, was Sri Lanka’s premier death bowler.
3. Ajanta Mendis:
Ajanta Mendis is the only spinner to feature on this list. The pace bowlers bowl most of the death overs in T20I cricket, but Mendis was different. Mendis’s mystery and accuracy enabled him to bowl in any phase of the game. He has 66 wickets to his name in 39 T20I matches at an impressive economy of 6.45. Ajanta Mendis also holds the record for taking two six-wicket hauls in T20Is.
4. Dushmanta Chameera:
This fiery and quick bowler is currently Sri Lanka’s leading fast bowler. He is tall and rapid, touching the 145-kph mark quite frequently. In 50 T20Is, he has scalped 48 wickets at an average of 30.27. He is an essential player for Srilanka in all formats and almost indispensable in white-ball cricket.
5. Angelo Mathews:
Angelo Mathews, the former Sri Lankan captain, also features on the list. One of Srilanka’s best all-rounders, Mathews has 38 wickets in 78 T20Is at an economy of 6.99. His control and consistency allowed him to bowl in any phase of the game. However, as of late, Mathews has given up bowling to focus on his batting and avoid injuries.
6. Thisara Perera:
Thisara Perera, another all-rounder, is next on the list. Perera was a dangerous batsman for any opponent due to his power-hitting ability and strokeplay. Apart from his batting, he was a handy bowler with significant variations available in his bowling armory. He took 45 wickets in his T20 international career at an average of 35.08.
7. Isuru Udana:
Isuru Udana is the only left-arm fast bowler to feature on this list. With a great mix of slower balls, he was in the team as a specialist death bowler. Along with his decent batting, he provided an outstanding balance to the team. He took 27 wickets in the 35 T20Is he played at an average of 33.78.
8. Lahiru Kumara:
Lahiru Kumara is the current young pace sensation of Sri Lanka. He is a tall, strong, and speedy bowler, bowling close to 150 kph. Bowling at such a high speed, his slower balls become all the more effective. In 19 T20Is, he has scalped 23 wickets at an average of 24.52. He is undoubtedly one of the emerging fast bowlers in Sri Lankan cricket.
9. Dilhara Fernando:
Dilhara Fernando made his T20I debut in 2006 and played till 2016. However, he got to play only 18 matches, wherein he took 25 wickets at an average of 25.77. He had a natural pace and became a reliable white ball bowler for Srilanka over the course of his career. Nonetheless, his injuries did not allow him to play for too long.
10. Dasun Shanaka:
Dasun Shanaka is the current captain of Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket. He is a batting all-rounder who can bowl some quality medium-pace bowling. He can bowl in any situation and becomes a useful death bowler due to his accurate line, length, and variations. The medium pacer has 18 wickets to his name so far at an average of 24.
