88-64
The win-loss record for teams batting first in T20Is between the ten Test-playing teams since 2012.

The ratio of 1.375 is a 31% jump from 1.050 (62-59 record) in the four-year period between January 2008 and December 2011.

In the last four years Sri Lanka have a 13-3 record when batting first, compared to 6-8 in chases. Pakistan have been almost as successful batting first, with a 14-5 record (compared to 10-13 in chases).

Three teams have won more than twice as many games as they have lost when batting first since 2012, compared with just one between 2008 and 2011. That team, South Africa, were 10-2 when batting first and 7-7 in chases during that period; since 2012, their record batting first has dropped to 13-12, though their record in chases is 9-6.

17
Free-hit balls bowled by Morne Morkel, the most by any bowler, though he has conceded only 25 runs off those.

Sohail Tanvir is next highest with 16, but he has responded even better, conceding only 18. The most runs conceded off free-hit balls by any bowler is 29, by Ravi Rampaul (from 11 free-hit balls). Wayne Parnell has gone for 20 from eight, Umar Gul for 21 from nine, and Sunil Narine has done worse than them all, going for 20 from five.

3.91
Percentage of overs bowled by spinners in the Powerplays till 2009.

Since the beginning of 2010, that percentage has gone up to 22.77, an increase of 482%. Between 2010 and 2015, spinners averaged 23.70 runs per wicket, and 6.49 per over in the Powerplays, compared to the seamers' average of 28.30 and economy rate of 7.13.

150.17
Shahid Afridi's strike rate in the first ten balls he faces every innings, the highest among all batsmen who have scored at least 500 runs.

Darren Sammy is next, with a strike rate of 141.46. The top few are mostly middle-order biffers but the surprise is Kane Williamson, who has a strike rate of 130.36 in his first ten balls, which puts him sixth on this list.

440
Craig Kieswetter's strike rate in free hits, the highest among batsmen who have faced at least four such deliveries.

Kieswetter has scored 22 from five balls, which includes three sixes. Shane Watson has 13 runs from four, while Ross Taylor has 12 from four.

4.93
Saeed Ajmal's economy rate during Powerplays, the best among spinners who have bowled at least 30 overs in the period since January 2010.

Among the bowlers who are likely to play the World T20, Samuel Badree has the best economy rate, of 5.59, in Powerplays, followed by Shakib Al Hasan, with 6.05.

-1.49
The difference between Samuel Badree's economy rates in the first four and the last two deliveries of an over in T20Is.

In the first four balls Badree's average economy rate is 4.89, but in the last two it goes up to 6.38 (which is still an excellent economy rate in T20s). Dwayne Bravo tends to end his overs poorly too, averaging 9.25 in the last two balls, against 8.15 in the first four.

Imran Tahir is among those for whom the reverse is true. Tahir has an economy rate of 6.99 off his first four balls, but only 5.49 in his last two. Ravindra Jadeja averages 7.80 in his first four balls and 6.32 in his last two, Steven Finn 7.73 in his first four and 6.46 in his last two.

Top slogger: Yuvraj Singh hits a six every 7.47 balls he faces in the last six overs © Getty Images

6
Fewest runs defended in the last over to win a T20I featuring two Full Member teams.

This has been achieved twice, both times by South Africa against New Zealand. Marchant de Lange conceded three when New Zealand needed seven to win in Auckland in 2012, while Dale Steyn conceded four in the World T20 in Chittagong in 2014. The fewest defended in any T20I is five, by Oman's Bilal Khan against Hong Kong.

77.2
The difference in strike rates between the first ten balls and the rest of the innings for England's Luke Wright, the highest for all batsmen with 500 runs.

Outside the top five, other names that deserve a mention are Darren Sammy (difference 61.93), Marlon Samuels (55.18) and Kieron Pollard (53.16).

8
Number of run-outs that Darren Sammy has been involved in as a fielder - the highest among all players.

Tillakaratne Dilshan is next with seven, while Dwayne Bravo and David Miller have been responsible for six run-outs each. Those are the best among non-wicketkeepers. Among wicketkeepers, MS Dhoni tops with seven.

(Note: Only the fielder who threw the ball to the wicketkeeper, bowler or fielder - or one who pulled off a direct hit - is included in this count. For wicketkeepers, this includes only those instances when they effected a direct hit.)

-5.66
The difference in strike rates between the first ten balls and the rest of the innings for Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera

Perera is one of three batsmen with such an unusual scoring pattern; Afridi and Williamson are the others. Afridi has a strike rate of 150.17 in the first ten, which drops by about 4% to 144.20 later, while for Williamson the drop is about 2%.

(Min 500 T20I career runs)

6
Number of times New Zealand and South Africa have each defended targets when the opposition needed between six and 15 to win off the last over.

New Zealand have six wins in seven such games, while South Africa have six out of 12. New Zealand have also lost five of ten when they have chased such targets in the final over, while Pakistan have come out second best most often - nine out of 19 times.

When the opposition requires between six and ten runs in the last over, fielding teams have been able to defend the target in only 30% of matches (15 out of 50). However, when the target has gone up to between 11 and 15 runs off the final over, the success rate for fielding teams has gone up to 70% (21 out of 30).

97
Runs conceded by West Indies off free-hit balls, the most by any team.

West Indies' economy rate of 16.17 is second from bottom, after Bangladesh (17.25).

Zimbabwe have the best run rate off free-hit balls, followed by India. In terms of the difference between the run rate and economy rate in free hits, Australia are slightly ahead of Zimbabwe, while Bangladesh and West Indies are the poorest.

11
The over after which teams batting first normally double their score.

Since 2012, the split is almost exactly 50%: teams average 77.56 runs in the first 11 overs, and 77.37 in the last nine. In the period between 2008 and 2011, the average in the first 11 overs was 77.03, and in the last nine 72.96.

South Africa have effected more run-outs than been at the receiving end of them © AFP

Since 2012, teams batting first have scored an average of 42.77 in the first six, 57.49 in the middle eight overs (seventh to 14th), 54.67 in the last six and 29.76 in the last three.

The average 20-over score for the team batting first has gone up from 150 (between 2008 and 2011) to 155 (since 2012).

64
The percentage of dots for Chris Gayle in the first ten balls he faces, the highest among all batsmen who have scored at least 500 T20I runs.

The top five in this list are all openers, which isn't surprising considering they bat against the new ball when the fielding restrictions are also in place.

17
Imran Tahir's strike rate, or balls per wicket, between the seventh and 14th over.

Tahir averages 18.44 runs per wicket in this phase. With a cut-off of 300 balls bowled, only two bowlers from the top ten teams have a better strike rate in the middle overs: Graeme Swann (16.39 balls per wicket), and Ajantha Mendis (16.78 balls per wicket). Angelo Mathews has the poorest strike rate and economy rate during the middle overs, with a wicket every 44 balls, and an economy rate of 7.7. His bowling average in the middle overs is 56.14.

195.81
Brendon McCullum's strike rate in the last six overs, the best among all batsmen who have scored at least 300 runs in the last six.

The top six in terms of strike rates includes the Hussey brothers, Yuvraj Singh, Eoin Morgan and AB de Villiers. Among the 29 batsmen who are in this cut-off range, MS Dhoni's strike rate of 144.85 is at 26th, while Afridi's is at 21st, with a strike rate of 150.73. In terms of six-hitting in the last six overs, Yuvraj is the best, with one every 7.47 balls. Dhoni hits one every 19.86 balls, and Afridi one every 11.39.

6.28
Sunil Narine's economy rate, the best in the last six overs among bowlers who have bowled at least 180 deliveries in the last six.

Narine has conceded a six every 23 balls during this period. Mashrafe Mortaza has the poorest economy rate in the last six (10.81), followed by Dwayne Bravo (10.16).

17
Most runs that a bowler has failed to defend in the last over.

Saeed Ajmal went for 23 when Australia needed 18 to win in the last over of the World T20 semi-finals in 2010, and Nasir Hossain went for 18 in similar circumstances against Zimbabwe last year.

18
The difference between run-outs effected by South Africa in the field, and run-outs of their own batsmen - the highest positive difference for any team.

West Indies are next, with a difference of 13, while Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have a difference of 12 each. Bangladesh and New Zealand have the two highest negative differences. Bangladesh have suffered 15 more run-outs while batting than they have effected in the field, while for New Zealand this difference is 13. Australia and England have struggled too, with scores of -10 and -11.

All stats through to Dec 31, 2015

*March 5: Dawlat Zadran's dot balls were erroneously mentioned as three instead of four in the table. This has been corrected

S Rajesh is stats editor and Shiva Jayaraman is stats sub-editor of ESPNcricinfo

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

 

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