Pathan way overpriced to take most T20 World Cup wickets

Irfan Pathan has been in deadly T20 form for India of late and because of this, he looks outstanding value to end the World Cup as the tournament’s top wicket taker.

Pathan is 40/1 to claim this accolade and has taken 11 wickets in his last four T20 games, alongside another five in his most recent one-day encounter.

These have also not been against inferior opposition, with India enjoying their final warm-up matches for the World Cup on sub continental pitches against the likes of New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

With the tournament being held in Sri Lanka, Indian players should additionally be better suited to most to the conditions having grown up on largely similar pitches.

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Meanwhile, they play more T20 cricket than any other nation and as a result their bowlers will be more experienced as to the best tactics for getting wickets.

Especially in Pathan’s favour is that he is a left-arm seam bowler and only one of a select few in the upper echelons of world cricket at present.

Therefore, his bowling may offer an element of the unknown for batsman, who are more accustomed to right-arm quick or spin bowling.

Finally, India have Afghanistan in their group, seemingly the worst team in the tournament, and with Pathan opening the bowling, he will get first crack at what could be an inferior batting line-up.

Pathan certainly fits the chief criteria to look for pre-tournament when trying to find a player who will be top wicket taker.

Obviously, someone that stands a good chance of reaching the final and playing the maximum of seven matches is preferable, alongside a bowler almost assured to bowl their full quota of four overs.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing