IPL: Top 3 death overs bowlers of all time for Mumbai Indians

In the Indian Premier League 2023, Mumbai Indians were thrashed by Gujarat Titans in the qualifier 2 after Shubman Gill’s brilliant century. This, once again, opened up the abilities and capabilities of their poor bowling line up which failed constantly in the last two years. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer proved to be a nightmare for the five-time champions. 

Notably, Bumrah, Lasith Malinga and other bowlers have been phenomenal for MI in the last decade and have played a pivotal role in Mumbai’s five IPL title victories. However, in the ongoing tournament, apart from Piyush Chawla and Akash Madhwal, not a single bowler looked in rhythm and that cost Mumbai Indians. So, this leads us to discuss the top 3 death over (16-20) specialist bowlers of Mumbai Indians in IPL history.

3. Mitchell McClenaghan (32 wickets) 

Mitchell McClenaghan’s time with the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League demonstrated his remarkable death-over bowling ability. McClenaghan, who took authority during the 16th and 20th overs, proved to be a dangerous player on the pitch. With 32 wickets in these vital overs, he established himself as a dependable go-to bowler when the stakes were high. Overall, he cliched 71 wickets in 56 games at an average of 25.4 and an economy rate of 8.49. 

His ability to generate significant pace and extract bounce from the pitch made him a batsman’s nightmare in the latter overs of an inning. The precision and execution of McClenaghan’s yorkers, slower balls, and well-disguised variations consistently disturbed the opponent’s batting plans. His services were critical to the Mumbai Indians’ win, highlighting his proficiency and effect in the final stages of the season.

2. Jasprit Bumrah (80 wickets) 

Jasprit Bumrah, the Mumbai Indians’ primary bowler, has been outstanding between the 16th and 20th overs of the IPL. In 109 innings, he has taken 80 wickets at an average of 20.2, demonstrating his effectiveness in the death overs. Bumrah’s incredible strike rate of 14.3 demonstrates his ability to frequently produce game-changing strikes when it counts the most. 

He’s been a nightmare for batters, forcing them to make mistakes under pressure. Bumrah’s precision and accuracy have resulted in a 37% dot ball rate, increasing the pressure on opponents. His outstanding efforts throughout this key stage of the game have contributed to Mumbai Indians’ success, making him one of the IPL’s most feared bowlers.

1. Lasith Malinga (109 wickets) 

Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan bowler, demonstrated his bowling prowess while representing the Mumbai Indians in the IPL during the 16th and 20th overs. Malinga took 108 wickets with an exceptional average of 13.6 throughout 114 innings. His outstanding strike rate of 10.3 demonstrated his ability to make important breakthroughs for his team during the death overs.

Malinga’s ability to regularly bowl dot balls, accounting for a commendable 39.7% of his deliveries, demonstrated his capacity and precision. With his incredible control and scary Yorkers, he was a fearsome force to be reckoned with. Despite the added pressure of bowling late in the game, Malinga maintained a remarkable economy rate of 7.86. He has been one of the biggest assets for Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians in the last decade.