Top 10 Spin Bowlers In T20I World Cups

Our T20 International (T20I) ratings take into account all matches from the first T20I match on February 17, 2005 till the below mentioned last update date. The Ratings are divided into 5 sections which take into account the number of wickets taken; the average of bowlers; their economy rate; their best performances by wickets and their top most economic spells. How the rating works is explained in highlighted sections. So, here are the Top 10 Spin bowlers in World Cup cricket

*Note: All T20I Ratings are updated till 2023-01-08

WORLD CUP Rating

This rating only includes stats of Spin bowlers in World Cup cricket. The rating is divided into sections to make it easy to understand how it is calculated. Before each section, its criteria is highlighted in bold. Our ratings are dynamic, and as new matches are played, the rating of earlier bowlers may change if current bowlers set new benchmarks.

Top Teams (TT)

Top Teams play an integral part in our T20I Rating. The Average (Con) and Economy (Eco) sections are divided into overall stats as well as stats against the top teams. Moreover, the best (BBW) and most economic (BBE) performances only include performances against the top teams. Here is how the Top Teams are calculated:-

  • Win/Loss Ratio is used to determine top teams.
  • The top teams are calculated by decades.
  • To be a top team, the team should be among the top teams of the decade overall.
  • A team is also included in top teams if it is a World Cup winner in that decade.
  • A bowler’s performace is counted in TT if he played against that team in that decade.
  • Knock Out matches of ICC World Cup are also included in TT.
  • The Top Teams may be found in the last section of the rating.
The Trend Setter

The Trend Setter (TS) is the player which does the best in a criteria. The rating of all other players are calculated as percentage points of TS. Let’s taken an example to understand it:-

  • Let’s assume that Trent Boult has taken 100 wkts, which is the highest. This makes him the TS.
  • Another player, say Dale Steyn, has taken 50 wkts.
  • If the rating is out of 200, Boult will get the full points (pts), that is 200.
  • The points of Steyn are calculated as His Wkts/Boult’s Wkts*200. This comes out to be 100.
  • Thus the formula is (Wkts Taken/Wkts Taken By TS)*Max Points.
  • All ratings are calculated similarly with Wkts being replaced by the Criteria Stat.
  • Obviously, for average the formula is reverased as lower average is better for a bowler.
  • For Average, a bowler is eligible to be TS only if he has taken a minimum number of wickets.
  • For Economy, a bowler is eligible to be TS only if he has bowled a minimum number of balls.
  • If a bowler doesn’t fulfill the criteria of TS but has done better, he gets the max points but his stat is not taken as benchmark.
  • Lastly, it is to be noted that it is not necessary for a TS to be part of the rating as he might have topped in a criteria but not done well in others.

QUALIFICATION


Min Innings 5
Min Innings (TT) 5
Min Wickets (TS AVE) 10
Min Balls (TS ECO) 100

PROLIFIC


Criteria: Points For Wickets Taken

RANK BOWLER NAT FP LP INNS WKTS RAT
TS Shahid Afridi PAK 2006 2018 34 39 200.00
1 Saeed Ajmal PAK 2009 2015 23 36 184.62
2 Ajantha Mendis SL 2008 2014 21 35 179.49
3 R Ashwin IND 2010 2022 24 32 164.10
4 IS Sodhi NZ 2014 2022 17 25 128.21
5 S Badree WI 2012 2018 15 24 123.08
6 A Zampa AUS 2016 2022 14 23 117.95
7 GP Swann ENG 2008 2012 15 22 112.82
8 W Hasaranga SL 2019 2023 10 18 92.31
8 Imran Tahir SA 2013 2019 9 18 92.31
10 SP Narine WI 2012 2019 12 15 76.92
C Ave

The Comparative Average (C Ave) for bowlers is calculated by taken into account two factors:-

  • First is the average of batsmen in the decades the bowler played.
  • Second is the average of the opposition batsmen at Home, in Asia or outside Asia; whichever is applicable.
  • The average of the opposing team’s batsmen is also calculated by decades.
  • Higher C Ave suggest that more runs were scored by the batsmen in the above mentioned factors.
  • Thus it was difficult to get Wkts and the bowler will benefit from this.
  • Lower C Ave means the opposite.
R Ave

The Relative Average (R Ave) is calculated using the C Ave. Its formula is (Bowler Ave/C Ave)*A Constant Factor. This constant doesn’t affect the rating as it is the same for everone. If your C Ave is comparatively high, your R Ave will be low; which is better for bowlers. Broadly speaking, the following bowlers will benefit from this system:-

  • Bowlers who have played more in unfavourable conditions.
  • Bowlers who have played more against top opposition than weaker teams.

CONSISTENT


Criteria: Points For R Ave

Against All Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS RUNS WKTS AVE C AVE R AVE RAT
TS Imran Tahir 9 214 18 11.89 25.83 11.28 150.00
1 Imran Tahir 9 214 18 11.89 25.83 11.28 150.00
2 S Badree 15 326 24 13.58 25.75 12.93 130.86
3 A Zampa 14 306 23 13.30 25.06 13.01 130.01
4 W Hasaranga 10 247 18 13.72 25.31 13.28 127.35
5 SP Narine 12 231 15 15.40 25.84 14.60 115.85
6 Ajantha Mendis 21 526 35 15.03 24.81 14.84 113.98
7 GP Swann 15 358 22 16.27 25.39 15.70 107.72
8 Saeed Ajmal 23 607 36 16.86 24.84 16.63 101.69
9 R Ashwin 24 552 32 17.25 24.86 17.00 99.51
10 IS Sodhi 17 444 25 17.76 25.37 17.15 98.61

Against Top Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS RUNS WKTS AVE C AVE R AVE RAT
TS W Hasaranga 8 193 16 12.06 25.31 11.68 150.00
1 W Hasaranga 8 193 16 12.06 25.31 11.68 150.00
2 S Badree 15 326 24 13.58 25.75 12.93 135.49
3 Imran Tahir 8 193 14 13.79 25.83 13.07 133.94
4 SP Narine 11 210 14 15.00 25.84 14.22 123.15
5 GP Swann 15 358 22 16.27 25.39 15.70 111.54
6 A Zampa 12 268 16 16.75 25.06 16.38 106.92
7 IS Sodhi 14 349 20 17.45 25.37 16.85 103.92
8 R Ashwin 20 463 26 17.81 24.86 17.55 99.81
9 Saeed Ajmal 21 568 29 19.59 24.84 19.32 90.64
10 Ajantha Mendis 17 475 24 19.79 24.81 19.54 89.62
C ER And R ER

The Comparative Economy Rate (C ER) and Relative Economy Rate (R ER) for bowlers is calculated using the same method as in C Ave and R Ave with average replaced with ER.

ECONOMIC


Criteria: Points For R ER

Against All Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS BLS RUNS ER C ER R ER RAT
TS SMSM Senanayake 5 102 83 4.88 7.13 4.80 150.00
1 SP Narine 12 268 231 5.17 7.24 5.00 143.78
2 S Badree 15 354 326 5.53 7.20 5.38 133.80
3 Imran Tahir 9 216 214 5.94 7.26 5.73 125.48
4 A Zampa 14 300 306 6.12 7.32 5.85 122.85
5 W Hasaranga 10 228 247 6.50 7.33 6.21 115.81
6 GP Swann 15 330 358 6.51 7.25 6.29 114.38
7 R Ashwin 24 510 552 6.49 7.10 6.40 112.31
8 Ajantha Mendis 21 471 526 6.70 7.16 6.55 109.82
9 IS Sodhi 17 378 444 7.05 7.43 6.64 108.39
10 Saeed Ajmal 23 536 607 6.79 7.12 6.68 107.70

Against Top Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS BLS RUNS ER C ER R ER RAT
TS SMSM Senanayake 5 102 83 4.88 7.13 4.80 150.00
1 SP Narine 11 244 210 5.16 7.24 5.00 143.99
2 S Badree 15 354 326 5.53 7.20 5.38 133.80
3 Imran Tahir 8 192 193 6.03 7.26 5.82 123.67
4 W Hasaranga 8 186 193 6.23 7.33 5.95 120.91
5 A Zampa 12 252 268 6.38 7.32 6.10 117.82
6 GP Swann 15 330 358 6.51 7.25 6.29 114.38
7 IS Sodhi 14 312 349 6.71 7.43 6.32 113.82
8 R Ashwin 20 426 463 6.52 7.10 6.43 111.85
9 Saeed Ajmal 21 488 568 6.98 7.12 6.86 104.78
10 Ajantha Mendis 17 396 475 7.20 7.16 7.03 102.24
BBW

In this criteria, we have taken the top 5 bowling performances by Wkts of a bowler against top teams. Best Bowling By Wickets (BBW) is simply the total wickets taken in the 5 innings divided by 5.

BEST BOWLING (WKTS)


Criteria: Points For Wkts Taken In Top 5 Inns

RANK BOWLER 1 2 3 4 5 BBW RAT
TS Saeed Ajmal 4/26 4/30 3/17 3/34 2/18 3.20 100.00
1 Saeed Ajmal 4/26 4/30 3/17 3/34 2/18 3.20 100.00
2 Ajantha Mendis 4/12 3/9 3/20 3/24 2/9 3.00 93.75
2 S Badree 4/15 3/10 3/12 3/14 2/16 3.00 93.75
4 R Ashwin 4/11 3/22 3/22 2/14 2/15 2.80 87.50
5 W Hasaranga 3/13 3/20 3/21 2/19 2/22 2.60 81.25
5 SP Narine 3/9 3/16 3/20 2/17 2/19 2.60 81.25
7 IS Sodhi 3/18 3/21 2/17 2/21 2/28 2.40 75.00
8 A Zampa 3/23 2/12 2/21 2/22 2/32 2.20 68.75
8 GP Swann 3/24 2/22 2/24 2/26 2/28 2.20 68.75
8 Imran Tahir 3/26 2/13 2/24 2/27 2/27 2.20 68.75
BBE

In this criteria, we have taken the top 5 bowling performances by Economy of a bowler against top teams. Best Bowling By Economy (BBE) is the Relative Economy of the bowler in the 5 Inns. Only 12+ Balls performaces are counted in this criteria.

BEST BOWLING (ECO)


Criteria: Points For Economy In Top 5 Inns

RANK BOWLER 1 2 3 4 5 BBE RAT
TS Ajantha Mendis 4.0/9 3.0/9 4.0/12 4.0/12 4.0/19 3.14 100.00
1 Ajantha Mendis 4.0/9 3.0/9 4.0/12 4.0/12 4.0/19 3.14 100.00
2 S Badree 4.0/10 4.0/12 4.0/14 4.0/15 4.0/16 3.26 96.29
3 R Ashwin 3.2/11 4.0/14 4.0/15 3.0/12 4.0/16 3.66 85.80
4 SP Narine 3.4/9 4.0/16 4.0/17 4.0/19 4.0/20 3.98 78.77
5 IS Sodhi 4.0/14 4.0/17 4.0/18 3.4/21 4.0/23 4.45 70.48
6 W Hasaranga 4.0/13 4.0/19 4.0/20 4.0/21 4.0/22 4.54 69.15
7 A Zampa 4.0/12 4.0/20 4.0/21 2.0/11 4.0/22 4.57 68.66
8 GP Swann 4.0/17 4.0/17 4.0/20 4.0/20 4.0/22 4.64 67.68
9 Saeed Ajmal 4.0/17 4.0/18 3.3/18 4.0/23 4.0/23 4.99 62.89
10 Imran Tahir 4.0/13 4.0/18 4.0/24 4.0/26 4.0/27 5.21 60.27
WC Rating

The WORLD CUP (WC) Rating is the addition of the points of all the above criteria. The rating is out of 1,000.

RATING


RANK BOWLER PRO CON C TT ECO E TT BBW BBE WC RAT
1 S Badree 123.08 130.86 135.49 133.80 133.80 93.75 96.29 847.08
2 Ajantha Mendis 179.49 113.98 89.62 109.82 102.24 93.75 100.00 788.90
3 SP Narine 76.92 115.85 123.15 143.78 143.99 81.25 78.77 763.72
4 R Ashwin 164.10 99.51 99.81 112.31 111.85 87.50 85.80 760.88
5 W Hasaranga 92.31 127.35 150.00 115.81 120.91 81.25 69.15 756.78
6 Imran Tahir 92.31 150.00 133.94 125.48 123.67 68.75 60.27 754.41
7 Saeed Ajmal 184.62 101.69 90.64 107.70 104.78 100.00 62.89 752.32
8 A Zampa 117.95 130.01 106.92 122.85 117.82 68.75 68.66 732.96
9 IS Sodhi 128.21 98.61 103.92 108.39 113.82 75.00 70.48 698.42
10 GP Swann 112.82 107.72 111.54 114.38 114.38 68.75 67.68 697.27

TOP TEAMS


DECADE OF MAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2000s PAK SA IND SL AUS WI ENG NZ
2010s IND ENG SA AUS PAK NZ SL WI AFG BAN
2020s IND ENG PAK AUS SA NZ WI SL ZIM AFG


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