Innings with the lowest strike rates in T20I cricket
In T20Is often batters go big right from the start such is the demand of the format. Many batters start hitting from ball one and in the process, they boast a healthy strike rate. But sometimes due to the pressure of run-chase or any other reason, they tend to play a slow inning and end up their innings with a lower strike rate.
Let’s take a look at all the innings with the lowest strike rate in a T20I innings among the top 10 nations (MIN:10 balls faced and excluding rain-curtailed matches)
5. Paul Collingwood, Jesse Ryder, Mohammad Hafeez, and, Soumya Sarkar
England’s Paul Collingwood, New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder, Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez, and Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar are tied as they amassed just two runs in 11 balls in a T20I inning with a strike rate of just 18.18. Collingwood endured a tough time batting at No.5 against Pakistan in 2006. Ryder’s scratchy innings came against Zimbabwe opening the batting in T20 WC 2010. Hafeez’s slow innings came at No.3 against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2016 and Sarkar’s was against Australia in 2021.
4. Stephen Myburgh and D’Arcy Short
Netherlands Stephen Myburgh and Australia’s D’Arcy Short had a strike rate of 16.66 when they both scored just two runs off 12 balls in their respective T20I innings. Myburgh opened the batting against Ireland in 2012 and had a torrid time while Short played a slow innings against Pakistan in 2018 when he too came out as an opener.
3. Tilakaratne Dilshan
Tilakaratne Dilshan opened the innings against New Zealand in the 2010 T20 WC in West Indies and suffered miserably. He scored just 3 runs off 19 balls with a paltry strike rate of 15.78 before Jacob Oram got him out bowled. as Sri Lanka scored only 135/6 in 20 overs and lost the match.
2.Kyle Coetzer and Imran Nazir
Chasing just 132 against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi in 2010, Scotland lost the game by 14 runs as opener Kyle Coetzer mustered two runs off 15 balls with an abject strike rate of 13.33. Former Pakistan’s dashing opener Imran Nazir too scored two off 15 while opening against England in 2010 as Pakistan managed just 129/8 and lost the clash.
1.Michael Lumb, Nawroz Mangal, Ibrahim Zadran, and, Tadiwanshe Marumani
England’s Michael Lumb, Afghanistan’s pair of Nawroz Mangal and Ibrahim Zadran, and Zimbabwe’s Tadiwanashe Marumani all scored just one run off 10 balls with an appalling strike rate of 10.00 in their respective T20I innings. Lumb’s short stay at the crease while opening came against India in 2012, Mangal’s abysmal inning was against Pakistan in 2013, Zadran’s against West Indies in 2019, and Marumani’s innings against Ireland in 2021.
