The Pace Bowling PowerMouse series

[sandeep]

For donkeys years, we keep hearing the oft repeated mythology of the factory of pace bowlers that apparently exists in the badlands of West Punjab.  As the legend goes, Pakistan has a battery of fast bowling 'natural' talent, waiting only for the opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities and skills at the international level. 

 

The facts and reality bely this myth.  In fact, the Pakistan national cricket team, for almost an entire decade, has been over-reliant on spin to win test matches, and has a shockingly poor cadre of pace bowlers.  

 

Let's begin with a head to head comparison of Wahab Riaz and the much-maligned Ishant Sharma. Wahab's claim to fame rests on a couple of ODI overs bowled to an old aging batsman whose best days were behind him.  That and an odd spell with the old ball in a random test in the UAE.  Apart from that, Riaz has been a toothless spray-gun of a bowler with a career average > 34 runs per wicket.

 

Wahab Riaz Bowling Stats from January 2015

Ishant Sharma Bowling Stats from January 2015

 

Comparing Ishant and Wahab since January 2015, Riaz's average stays above 34 at 34.85.  Ishant, on the other hand, a guy who has been harshly criticized for his careeer average, has taken regular wickets at an average of 27.7 in the same time period.  In fact, such a comparison is almost an insult to Ishant Sharma.  

 

Coming up next, a statistical comparison of another legaandary tailunt from Pakistan - Mohammed 'Qaidi numbr Paanch' Amir, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

[mishra]

Ishant has allready got 256 wicket a average below 30 which is more in count and better in average than allmost all his Pakistani factory produce in his era despite  not bowling to brand new test playing nations.

He has lasted 87 tests on vegetarian food for so long i.e. Completely decimated padosees meat theory.

[velu]

riaz is another sami for padosis ..

pacy but wayward .. one or two games , and because of his pace he keeps getting picked