How the 2024 T20 World Cup is a Boon for Bowling and Cricket as a whole
T he just-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) was a batsman's paradise. Flat pitches and the 'Impact Player Rule’ led to a run-fest. But fast forward a month, and the narrative has flipped dramatically in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. Here in the Caribbean islands and USA, slower pitches and a focus on bowling are offering a refreshing and, I believe, ultimately positive, change for the sport. Look at the numbers: Afghanistan's young pace phenom Fazal Farooqi leads the wicket-taking charts with a staggering 12 scalps in just 3 matches. The wily Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, already the record holder for most wickets in a single T20 World Cup edition (2021 & 2022), is weaving his magic again, controlling the middle overs with his bag of tricks. I still am in awe of New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson gave a spectacular performance against Papua New Guinea in their final match of the T20 World Cup campaign on Monday. During his spell, Ferguson conceded zero