Mohammed Siraj is the most effective bowler in powerplay: Stats
Once considered a red-ball specialist, Mohammed Siraj has emerged as a force to reckon with in ODI cricket. He has particularly been lethal in the powerplay overs. The Indian pacer used the new ball to good effect in the first ODI against Australia as well. He dismissed opener Travis Head (5) in his very first over. Here we decode his stats in the powerplay.
Why does this story matter?
The past year saw Siraj's rise in ODIs as the Indian pacer delivered one stellar spell after another. His ability to swing the new ball at pace earned him remarkable success. It was a deadly in-swinger that got the better of Head. The left-handed batter was left clueless as his leg stump got castled. Notably, Siraj is currently the top-ranked ODI bowler.
Most wickets in powerplay since 2022
As per Cricmetric, Siraj featured in 21 ODIs since the start of 2022 and scalped 26 powerplay wickets in these games. Siraj averages 14.42 in powerplay this period (ER: 3.91). No other bowler has scalped 20 or more wickets in the powerplay in this period. Among full-member team bowlers, New Zealand pacers Trent Boult and Matt Henry trail him with 10 wickets apiece.
Atop the ICC ODI Rankings for Bowlers
With 729 rating points, Siraj is currently the top-ranked bowler in ODIs. He accomplished the top spot during the ODI series versus New Zealand earlier this year. Speaking of his overall numbers, Head was Siraj's 39th victim in 22 ODIs. While he averages just below 21, the pacer's economy rate in the format is just over 4.6.
Do you know?
Siraj made his ODI debut versus Australia in January 2019. He recorded figures of 0/76 in the contest and had to wait over three years to get his second ODI cap. The pacer made a comeback last year and hasn't looked back since then.
How has the match proceeded?
India won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Though Head perished cheaply, Mitchell Marsh joined forces with skipper Steve Smith and took the Aussies past the 100-run mark. Marsh, who opened the innings for the very first time in ODIs, scored 81 off just 65 balls. The visitors would be satisfied with this start.
