New Delhi. In the T20 World Cup 2024, 30-year-old Anrich Nortje has proved to be an ‘asset’ for the South African team in terms of wicket-taking ability and tight bowling, but he had to go through a bad phase in IPL 2024. In India’s Premier League, this Delhi Capitals bowler not only yearned for wickets but his balls were also beaten badly. It was hard to believe that this is the same Nortje who used to create trouble for famous batsmen with his 145+ KM/H speed and late swing.
Norkia could take only 7 wickets in 6 matches for Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2024. The effect of staying away from cricket due to injury was clearly visible in the performance of this bowler and he was seen struggling throughout.
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He was very ‘expensive’ in IPL 2024, got only 7 wickets
In IPL 2024, Norkia could take only 7 wickets at a poor average of 42.00. During this, his economy was 13.36 i.e. he conceded more than 13 runs per over. During bowling, Norkia looked far from his top performance. In the match against Rajasthan Royals, uncapped player Riyan Parag hit 25 runs in his over including two sixes and three fours. Obviously, Delhi Capitals expected a much better performance from this player worth Rs 6.5 crore. Earlier, Norkia showed brilliance in his very first season by taking 22 wickets in 16 matches of IPL 2020. He also made headlines by bowling at a speed of 156 KM/H this season. In the 2021 season, he took 12 wickets in 8 matches, 9 wickets in 6 matches in 2022 and 10 wickets in 10 matches in 2023.
Norkia now has the challenge of forgetting this bad phase and performing better for South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024. The problem is that he has very little time for this. In the T20 World Cup 2024, the South African team captained by Adam Markram has to play its first match against Sri Lanka on 3 June.
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The most ‘economical’ fast bowler of T20 World Cup
The previous performance of T20 World Cup can be ‘inspiring’ for Norkia in this case. He has played two T20 World Cups so far and has taken 20 wickets in 10 matches at a bowling average of 9.90 and economy of 5.37. He is the only bowler to record an average below 10 among the bowlers who have taken 15 or more wickets. Not only this, Norkia is also the only fast bowler to record an economy (runs given per over) of less than 6 among the bowlers who have taken 10 or more wickets.
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Has played in the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups
In the T20 World Cup held in 2021 under the shadow of Corona, Norkia took 9 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 11.55 and an economy of 5.37. During this, his best performance was 3 wickets for 8 runs, which he did against Bangladesh. In the matches against Australia and Sri Lanka, he also took two wickets each while bowling economically. In the 2022 T20 World Cup, he took 11 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 8.54 and an economy of 5.37. This time he managed to take four wickets each in matches against Bangladesh (4/10) and Pakistan (4/41). Unfortunately, in both these World Cups, the South African team could not progress beyond the second round and Norkia did not get a chance to bowl in the subsequent matches.
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South Africa’s best bowling performance in T20 WC
The best bowling analysis from South Africa in the T20 World Cup (4/10, against Bangladesh) is in the name of Norkia. Not only this, apart from Norkia, only Morne Morkel has been able to take four wickets in an innings twice from South Africa in this world class tournament. South Africa’s Wayne Parnell, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Charles Langervelt, Imran Tahir, Chris Morris and Lungi Ngidi have taken 4 wickets each once in the tournament.
However, Norkia has performed well in all three formats so far. He has taken 60 wickets in 19 Tests at an average of 26.71, 36 wickets in 22 ODIs at an average of 27.27 and 38 wickets in 33 T20Is at an average of 21.44. Due to a back injury, he could not play in the World Cup (ODI) held in India last year. The South African speedster has a chance to make up for it by performing well in the T20 World Cup. If Norkia returns to his best form, then he is capable of proving to be a big threat to the opposition batsmen along with Kagiso Rabada.
Tags: Anrich Nortje, ICC T20 world cup, IPL 2024, cricket, T20 World Cup
FIRST PUBLISHED : May 30, 2024, 07:17 IST