118/0. This is what the score read after the Powerplay in the third T20I between India and New Zealand. Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sent the ball flying to all corners of the ground, and eventually, India chased down the target of 199 well inside 14 overs, setting multiple records, including the highest Powerplay score.
Yorker? Went for a six. Bouncer? That too went out of the ground. Slower one? Well, that disappeared too. Everything New Zealand tried kept vanishing well into the stands.
Gone are the days when conditions varied from country to country. Increasingly, pitches for T20 cricket all over the world are becoming batting-friendly, and the scores of 220-240 are being normalised. And the question begs to be asked – Is there anything in the game for the bowlers?
"It's just the way the intent is, it's just the way the approach is, and I think no longer your 180s and 190s are not kind of the figure, the number that the team is looking at, right? It is all about going now and saying, ‘How do I capitalise on the Powerplay?’ In the first six overs, you guys are getting teams to get 100, right? And that's all intent is," former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey told HT.
At first, high scores were restricted to just the IPL. There, the primary reason identified was the impact player rule, which gives teams more freedom to go all out right from the very start. However, now international cricket is more of the same.
{{/usCountry}}At first, high scores were restricted to just the IPL. There, the primary reason identified was the impact player rule, which gives teams more freedom to go all out right from the very start. However, now international cricket is more of the same.
{{/usCountry}}It's not as if only India are scoring this big in T20Is. Just last year, England became the first full-member team to score 300 in an innings against South Africa. New Zealand too recently smashed 259/7 against India in Auckland.
Slowly and steadily, the joy of watching T20 cricket is being lost. Back in the day, six-hitting used to be an art and not every batter could come in and swing the bat like nobody's business. Chris Gayle was a maverick, but watching the players in the current era would even make the Universe Boss question whether sending the ball into the crowd has always been that easy.
“It's becoming monotonous to watch. It is a one-dimensional kind of thing going on where the batters are dominating. With smaller grounds and straight 50-yard boundaries. I say, what can you do, man? I think if they're under pressure all the time, it is a one-sided game,” Mhambrey said of the current state of affairs in the shortest format.
Is there a solution?
Just take India's batting evolution into consideration. In 2021, the Men in Blue were striking at 137, according to CricViz. Fast forward five years, and the ball is now being struck at 173. England, who won the T20 World Cup in 2022, struck at 146 that year, and it has now risen to 165 in 2026. Australia were striking at 130 in 2021 when they won the World Cup, and now the rate has marginally risen to 137.
Strike rate in T20Is for India, England and Australia since 2021
| Year | India | Australia | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 137 | 130 | 145 |
| 2022 | 153 | 142 | 146 |
| 2023 | 154 | 166 | 146 |
| 2024 | 159 | 162 | 158 |
| 2025 | 152 | 162 | 165 |
| 2026 | 173 | 137 | 165 |
Scores of 200 are now par for the course. This particular mark has been breached 15 times by India in 2026 so far, across 40 matches, compared to just 2 times in 16 matches in 2021. Compared to all other full-member teams, India are the most prolific in racking up 200+ totals in T20Is; slowly and steadily, other teams too are catching up. For example, the West Indies registered 200+ scores 5 times in 21 matches this year, as compared to just one time in 25 matches in 2021.
Breakdown of 200+ scores from 2021 to 2026 for India, Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand
| Years | India | Australia | England | South Africa | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 times in 16 matches | 2 times in 22 matches | 2 times in 17 matches | 1 time in 23 matches | 2 times in 23 matches |
| 2022 | 5 times in 40 matches | 2 times in 21 matches | 6 times in 27 matches | 6 times in 18 matches | 5 times in 22 matches |
| 2023 | 7 times in 23 matches | 3 times in 8 matches | 2 times in 12 matches | 3 times in 8 matches | 1 time in 13 matches |
| 2024 | 9 times in 21 matches | 4 times in 21 matches | 1 time in 17 matches | 2 times in 23 matches | 3 times in 21 matches |
| 2025 | 3 times in 21 matches | 2 times in 16 matches | 3 times in 15 matches | 3 times in 18 matches | 4 times in 22 matches |
| 2026 | 15 times in 40 matches | 0 times in 10 matches | 5 times in 19 matches | 4 times in 21 matches | 5 times in 26 matches |
Looking at these numbers, what do the bowlers need to do to come back in the reckoning? There's a reason the pacers are among the most expensive players in the IPL auction. Hence, there is a clear understanding that the bowlers will win the tournament for you.
There is no hiding the fact that the gap between the bat and ball has been widening by the minute ever since teams have started attacking from the first ball of the Powerplay. Well, it is here that Mhambrey suggests something new. He believes that if bowlers are allowed to bowl with a semi-new ball during the Powerplay, it would make the game slightly different and more balanced.
"I'm just thinking, maybe a Powerplay. It's just a wild, maybe a foolish thought of mine, or maybe a silly thought. I'm just saying, give that Powerplay option to a bowler. What can be done differently? Do I need to be the first six overs? Or within the first eight, ten overs? Anywhere I can have that, my Powerplay. So that first four overs, can I have a normal pick?" he said.
"At least, there's something for the bowler. There will be a grip on the surface. Something, some variant of the ball that allows me to be kind of effective in the other kind of delivery issues. I'm just thinking, can we do something different?" he added.
Moreover, the former India coach wants the ICC to give bowlers more leeway, allowing two bouncers per over in T20Is.
"So can we look at something like that from the ICC? Let the Powerplay option be the bowler's team option. Don't have to start with the first six. There's a phase where you have six overs, where you still have two players outside. But at least the wear and tear of the ball, it's not a new ball that doesn't do anything," said Mhambrey.
"How do you get the bowlers in as well? Two bouncers. Add two bouncers in a T20 format. Should be at least something for him to work with," he added.