IPL 2019: 5 Best death bowlers this season till now

IPL has been a blockbuster hit right from day one. Firepower batting, centuries being scored, great spells of bowling, mindblowing catches and a thrilling super-over - this year's IPL is off to a scintillating start and promises to get more intense as the tournament progresses.

Out of the many aspects influencing a typical IPL T20 game - death bowling is one of the most crucial ones. The last five overs of an innings in a T20 game could turn things around and thus death bowling has become a key to success for all the franchises.

Stats over the years suggest that the teams with strength in death bowling have excelled. This year too, the numbers suggest a similar trend.

Let us have a look at five best death bowlers in this IPL so far who have punctured the opposition batting with their accurate bowling and sharp minds.

Note: The stats mentioned in this article were last updated on 6th of April 2019.

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#1 Jasprit Bumrah - Mumbai Indians

While watching an IPL match that is being played at the Wankhede stadium, viewers would often listen to the chants of 'Bumrah Bumrah'. This is when the number one ODI bowler Jasprit Bumrah is weaving magic on the cricket field with his toe-crushing yorkers, deceiving slower-ones and hit-on-the-helmet bouncers. Bumrah has been instrumental in Mumbai Indians' success over the years. It is his ability to keep bowling those unplayable yorkers with unerring accuracy and change it up with slower ones during the death overs that has lead Mumbai Indians to some unbelievable victories.

Good signs for Mumbai Indians as Jasprit Bumrah is getting into his groove

This season too, Bumrah has picked up five wickets in five matches at an outstanding economy rate of 6.75. Given the fact that Bumrah bowls at least half his spell in the death overs the above numbers are unbelievable. His match-winning spell of 3-20 against the RCB where he turned things around in the second last over of the game shows that the world's No.1 bowler is in his groove.

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#2 Dwayne Bravo - CSK

CSK would miss Dwayne Bravo's death bowling abilities for the next two weeks

The 'Champion' West Indian all-rounder DJ Bravo is CSK's and it's 'Thala' MS Dhoni's go-to man during the death overs especially while defending. Bravo's innate ability to read the batsman mind and mastermind MS Dhoni's game plans form a lethal combination.

The slower yorkers bowled well outside off, out of the batsman's reach is his primary weapon which he smartly mixes up with quick bouncers and on-the-stump yorkers.

Except for his last over of the spell against MI where Hardik Pandya and Pollard took him to cleaners, Bravo is proving his worth this IPL too. He has picked up seven wickets in four matches this IPL.

Unfortunately for him and the CSK fans, Bravo has been ruled out of IPL 2019 for the next two weeks due to a Grade 1 hamstring injury.

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#3 Sam Curran - KXIP

Sam Curran has had an amazing start to his IPL career (picture courtesy: BCCI/iplt20.com)

The 20-year old English all-rounder has had a staggering start to his IPL career with the Kings XI Punjab. With 6 wickets in 3 games that included a game-changing hattrick, Curran is a prime reason why KXIP are standing strong. It is Curran's clarity of thought and doing the basics right that helps keep his calm during the death overs.

He is not intimidating or express pace but does his job as an all-rounder to perfection.

In the 3 matches that Curran has played until now in the tournament, he went for runs at the start of the innings but compensated for it with brilliant bowling in the death overs. With this in mind, KXIP would be keen to use his complete quota of four overs during the latter half of the innings.

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#4 Kagiso Rabada - Delhi Capitals

Kagiso Rabada has made the DC team more complete

The 23-year old fiery fast bowler who could easily and consistently clock the speeds close 150 Kmph - Kagiso Rabada has become the linchpin of South African bowling attack in all three formats of the game. Rabada is a thinking bowler with a vast variety and an ability to execute plans perfectly.

Over the years he has honed his death bowling skills. Rabada bowls perfect yorkers at lightning speeds and more often than not uproots the stumps. He also bowls a dangerous bouncer that rises steeply from short of good length making it almost unplayable.

Rabada has looked really good this IPL playing for DC especially in the win against KKR where he got the big West Indian Andre Russell out of a tremendous yorker. With Rabada spearheading the bowling lineup, the DC look more complete as a team.

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#5 Andre Russell - KKR

Andre Russell has been in marauding form this IPL with the bat and bowl

With big biceps, a quirky hairstyle and all the confidence in the world - the West Indian and KKR superstar - Andre Russell is in marauding form this IPL, especially with the bat.

Rusell can not only hit sixes with metronomic consistency but also bowl quick yorkers with the same consistency in the death overs. With a relatively shorter and slower run-up, Russell is still able to generate speeds in excess of 140 kmph regularly. His primary death bowling weapons include quick yorkers and on-the-chest short deliveries cramping batsmen for room.

Russell's bowling has been overshadowed by his sensational batting performances. He has bowled really well especially in the death overs, picking up five wickets in four matches.

Like his batting, KKR would be hoping to see some fiery bowling performances as well from Russell.

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