Well, powerplay bowlers are often hailed as the most crucial part of a team’s bowling unit as they set the tone of the innings and dominate the batting lineup of the opponent team from the start of the match. During the powerplay, only a few fielders are allowed outside the circle, giving a good scoring space to the batsmen.
Therefore, it becomes extremely crucial for powerplay bowlers to keep their control on the ball and reduce the run rate of the opponent team during the powerplay of a match. The bowlers have undoubtedly undergone a significant transformation in modern cricket and have revolutionised their approach towards bowling. Have you ever wondered about the top four powerplay bowlers of the modern cricket era? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four powerplay bowlers of the modern cricket era.
Top 4 Powerplay Bowlers in Modern Cricket
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Jasprit Bumrah, India
The Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is at the first spot in our list of the top four powerplay bowlers who are ruling modern cricket. Often regarded as the world’s best active all-format pace bowler, Jasprit Bumrah is nothing short of a walking nightmare for even the finest batting lineups in the powerplay overs. Over the past few years, Bumrah’s lethal yorkers have assisted the Indian national cricket team in breaking the scoring rhythm of the opponent team in the most crucial matches on an international stage. Throughout his glorious international cricketing career so far, the Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has provided early breakthroughs against numerous elite batting lineups in ICC tournaments, IPL playoffs, and high-pressure bilateral series.
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Trent Boult, New Zealand
At the second spot in our list of the top four powerplay bowlers of the modern cricket era, we have the sensational international cricketer from New Zealand, Trent Boult who represented New Zealand across all formats of international cricket from 2011 to 2024. Often hailed as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of international cricket, Trent Boult has attacked the stumps in the powerplay overs and has played a crucial role in putting excruciating pressure on the batting lineups of the opponent teams in the most crucial matches right in the powerplay overs.
Throughout his career, Trent Boult played a record total of 78 test matches, 114 ODIs and 61 T20Is, picking up a record total of 317 test wickets, 211 ODI wickets and a phenomenal total of 73 T20I wickets, speaking volumes about his bowling dominance across all three formats of international cricket.
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Mohammed Siraj, India
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Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four powerplay bowlers who are ruling modern cricket, we have the Indian international cricketer Mohammed Siraj, who represents the Indian national cricket team across all three formats of international cricket and is often referred to as one of the most reliable bowlers from the Indian bowling unit in the powerplay overs.
Mohammed Siraj’s relentless accuracy and control over the ball is often hailed as one of the most rare qualities among modern bowlers in the professional cricket arena. As of January 2026, Mohammed Siraj has played a total of 45 test matches, 50 ODIs and 19 T20 internationals, picking up a record total of 139 test wickets, 76 ODI wickets and 14 T20I wickets, establishing himself as one of the most deadly bowlers in the history of international cricket.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four powerplay bowlers of the modern cricket era, we have the legendary Pakistan international cricketer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is often hailed as one of the most influential and successful bowlers in the ever-competitive arena of international cricket. Shaheeen Shah Afridi’s ability to flawlessly swing the ball at breakneck speed and his rare skill to generate high bounce even on the pitches with a flat surface make him one of the most successful bowlers in the powerplay overs.
As of January 2026, the legendary bowler from Pakistan has played a total of 33 test matches, 71 ODIs and 96 T20Is, picking up a record total of 121 test wickets, 135 ODI wickets and a spine-chilling total of 126 T20I wickets, speaking volumes about his unmatched and lethal bowling dominance across all the three formats of international cricket.
