Legendary Australian fast-bowler Brett Lee has voiced concerns over the lack of execution of yorkers by pacers, particularly in the death overs in the modern era ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. However, Lee said that only Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah is perfectly executing the yorkers in the death overs.
Lee, who was known for his lethal pace during his playing days, stressed the significance of mastering the yorkers, especially in the modern era, where the T20 games have been witnessing high-scoring encounters.
The Australian great expressed his desire to see more bowlers employing yorkers, especially during the crucial death overs, to restrict the flow of runs and take the wickets, in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Caribbean.
Yorker execution crucial in T20 cricket: Brett Lee ahead of T20 World Cup 2024
The commentator also acknowledged that the bowlers have been executing the yorkers effectively in the IPL, where they have proven to be economical with a strike rate averaging less than 100. However, he also highlighted the challenges posed by innovative batting techniques, such as the scoop shot, which batters utilize to counter yorker deliveries.
Brett Lee said at the launch of the Legends Intercontinental T20 League: “On a general rule, other than Bumrah, we haven’t seen enough fast bowlers nailing their yorkers recently. I want to see fast bowlers bowl more yorkers. I still don’t reckon they execute enough yorkers at the death.”
Meanwhile, the former Australian pacer advocated for an entertaining brand of cricket, but he emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between bat and ball. He warned against extreme pitches that heavily favor either bowlers or batters, as he called for a competitive pitch where both sides have an equal opportunity to excel.
Brett Lee calls for competitive pitches in T20s
Lee suggested that a total between 185 and 230 runs is ideal for a competitive match, saying the recent trend of exceptionally high scores is increasing the challenge for bowlers in the modern game, with many conceding around 45 to 50 runs in their four overs.
He signed off by saying, “I’m all for batters smoking the ball all over, but there has got to be something for the bowlers too. I’m not asking for a green top, where teams bowled out for 110, because that’s not good for cricket either. You want a good total, I think. Anywhere around that 185 mark to 230 is a good score. We’ve seen scores now of 265, 270, 277. It’s really hard because most bowlers now are going for 45 to 50 off their four overs.”
Notably, Jasprit Bumrah is currently preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA with the Indian cricket team. He was the third-highest wicket-taker in the recent IPL 2024, with 20 scalps from 13 games for the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Bumrah is likely to play in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up game against Bangladesh before their opening game against Ireland on June 5 in New York.
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