New Delhi. The Indian Premier League is generally considered to be a game of fours and sixes. Here the batsmen try to hit with the very first ball, in such a situation, for a bowler to bowl 6 balls in which not even a single run is scored i.e. bowling a 'maiden over' is no less than an achievement. This not only reflects the exact line-length of the bowler but also creates psychological pressure on the batsman.
In T-20, the economy rate of bowlers is more important than the strike rate for the batsmen. There have been some sharp bowlers who have kept the batsmen calm the most number of times in the history of IPL. Those 'dot ball specialists' who were adept at throwing maidens.
1. Praveen Kumar: Sultan of Swing (14 Maidens)
Praveen Kumar, who bowled the first ball in IPL 2008, tops the list with 14 maiden overs in 119 innings. Praveen was known for his natural swing. His ability with the new ball was such that even the greatest batsman was forced to play with caution. He represented teams like Kings XI Punjab and Gujarat Lions in his career.
2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: (14 Maidens)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 14 maiden overs in 190 innings. The specialty of 'Bhuvi' is his consistency. He is adept at swinging in the powerplay and bowling accurate yorkers in the death overs. While playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has many times broken the back of the opposition team by bowling maiden overs in the opening spell. Last season, Bhuvi played an important role in Royal Challengers Bangalore winning the title.
3. Trent Boult: Powerplay threat (11 maidens)
New Zealand's left arm fast bowler Trent Boult has shown his class by bowling 11 maiden overs in just 119 innings. Bolt is considered a master of taking wickets and stopping runs in the powerplay. His opening overs have always proved decisive for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. This season he will again be seen in Mumbai jersey.
4. Irfan Pathan: All-round magic (10 maidens)
Irfan Pathan is at fourth position with 10 maiden overs in 101 innings. In his early days, facing Irfan's in-swing balls was a nightmare for any opening batsman. His performances for teams like Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Chennai Super Kings have always been memorable.
5. Jasprit Bumrah: Legend of the modern era (8 maidens)
Despite having the least number of innings (145) in this list, Jasprit Bumrah's name shows his greatness. Bumrah not only stops runs but also takes wickets. His peculiar action and accurate yorker make him the most lethal bowler in the death overs.
In this era of T20 cricket, where scores of 200+ have become common, these maiden overs are as precious as gold. These figures prove that no matter how much cricket has become a game of batsmen, a ball with a good line and length still gets respect.
