Whenever we talk about cricket, batting often takes centre stage. But we often tend to forget that it is the bowlers who can change the tide of the game at any moment. Remember your favourite team winning with huge margins? Yes, that was possible because the bowlers set the pitch ablaze with their skills.
The following is a list of the top bowlers of this edition:
| S No. | Player | Country | Wickets | Matches | Economy |
| 1 | Adam Zampa | Australia | 22 | 9 | 5.26 |
| 2 | Dilshan Madhushanka | Sri Lanka | 21 | 9 | 6.70 |
| 3 | Gerald Coetzee | South Africa | 18 | 7 | 6.40 |
| 4 | Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan | 18 | 9 | 5.93 |
| 5 | Jasprit Bumrah | India | 17 | 9 | 3.65 |
| 6 | Marco Jansen | South Africa | 17 | 8 | 6.42 |
| 7 | Md. Shami | India | 16 | 5 | 4.78 |
| 8 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 16 | 9 | 3.97 |
| 9 | Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | 16 | 9 | 4.81 |
| 10 | Bas de Leede | Netherlands | 16 | 9 | 7.26 |
In this article, we are going to discuss the exploits of the Top-5 Bowlers of this edition.
- Adam Zampa (Australia, 22 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 4/8): The Aussie spinner has been on a dream run. He has been instrumental in Australia’s turnaround after facing initial setbacks. He has one of the best bowling averages in the tournament at 18.90.
- Dilshan Madhushanka (Sri Lanka, 21 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 5/80): This young Lankan Lion from the port town of Hambantota has been the only saving grace for the bumbling Sri Lankan squad. He has one five-wicket haul in his name. The southpaw quickie is a real find for the Lankans going forward.
- Gerald Coetzee (South Africa, 18 Wickets, 7 Matches, Best Figures – 4/44): The South African has been vicious with his bowling, much to the peril of the opposition batters. He delivers the ball with intelligent variations and can bowl some deadly bouncers. He is the one to look out for in the semifinal against Australia.
- Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan, 18 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 5/54): The only Pakistani to feature in the list, he has been consistent with his wicket-taking exploits even before the tournament. Although the Pakistan squad’s overall bowling performance has been disappointing, Shaheen on the other hand has bowled with vicious pace and accuracy. He has one five-wicket haul in his name and one of the best figures of the tournament (5/54).
- Jasprit Bumrah (India, 17 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 4/39): The Indian quickie has already made a name among the greats. He bowls with deadly pace and pinpoint accuracy. His economy of 3.65 is a testament to the fact that he is the most economical bowler of the tournament.
Special Mentions
Md. Shami (India, 16 Wickets, 5 Matches, Best Figures – 5/18): After registering multiple World Cup records in his name, Shami has proved both the critics and selectors wrong. He came in as a replacement for Hardik Pandya but has stayed for good.
Playing just 5 matches, he has scalped 16 wickets, which include two 5-wicket hauls. If he had played all 9 matches, then maybe he would’ve been the topper of the list. He has the most five-wicket hauls in the tournament and also has the best bowling average(9.56).
He is also India’s highest wicket-taker in World Cups after overtaking the legendary Zaheer Khan. He also has the joint most five-wicket hauls in a single edition of the World Cup, a feat shared with Aussie quickie Mitchell Starc.
Bas de Leede (The Netherlands, 16 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 4/62): The Dutch quickie has been phenomenal in the tournament and is the only player from the Netherlands to make the list. His performance also reflects the overall spirit and resilience that the Dutch have shown in the tournament. He has taken the wickets of cricketing legends and stalwarts in the Cup, a memory the Dutch team will cherish for years to come.
Kuldeep Yadav (India, 14 Wickets, 9 Matches, Best Figures – 2/7): Formerly a part of the famous Kul-Cha spin duo (Kuldeep Yadav – Yuzvendra Chahal). He had missed out on a lot of international cricketing action before the Asia Cup. But it seems that it gave him time to introspect and work on his game. His resurgence was evident when he made a stellar comeback. His deliveries are difficult to read and he often gets crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs.
Bowling Forward
Bowling isn’t easy, it takes a toll on your body especially if you are a fast bowler. Yet, enthusiasts seldom appreciate bowlers but are always on the hunt when a bowling unit disappoints.
But this tournament is evident to the fact that bowlers indeed are the ones to look out for as they can shift the momentum of the game at any stage. India’s bowling against South Africa and Sri Lanka being a prime example.
With just three matches to go, fans must be looking forward to the performances of their favourite bowlers.
Here’s the latest look at the points table after the end of the preliminary stage:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points |
| India(Q) | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 |
| South Africa(Q) | 9 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Australia(Q) | 9 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| New Zealand(Q) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 10 |
| Pakistan(E) | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| Afghanistan(E) | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| England(E) | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Bangladesh(E) | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Sri Lanka(E) | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Netherlands(E) | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
(Q = Qualified, E = Eliminated)