How to bowl the death overs
The last five overs decide more T20 games than any other phase. Across IPL cricket since 2008, the death overs have gone for 10.79 runs an over in 2026, against 9.31 in the middle overs. Here's how to think about them as a captain.
1. Plan all five overs before you bowl the first
Each bowler gets four overs and nobody bowls two in a row. That means the question isn't "who's my best bowler?" but "who bowls the 19th and 20th?" Burn your best death bowler on the 16th and you may be left with a part-timer for the final over. Work backwards from the 20th.
2. Match the bowler to the equation
When the batting side needs 12 or more an over, they have to swing at nearly everything, so wicket-takers become more valuable. When they need 7 or 8, they can pick their moment, so the bowler who concedes fewest boundaries matters more. A bowler's record at the death, not his overall economy, is what counts.
3. Every delivery is a trade-off
A yorker that lands is the hardest ball to hit for six, but it's also the hardest to land, and a missed yorker is a full toss or a half-volley. Published IPL data puts yorker accuracy at about one in three, and in 5overs the best death bowlers land it closer to one in two. A good length is cheaper than average and takes plenty of wickets, but miss it and it's too short or too full. The bouncer can be called wide, and you only get a limited number an over. The right ball depends on the batter, the bowler's control and how many the batting side needs.
4. Set the field for the ball you're bowling
Only five fielders can be outside the circle, and no more than two behind square on the leg side. Bowl full and straight and the ball goes down the ground, so you want long-off and long-on back. Bowl short and it goes square and fine on the leg side. Bowl wide outside off and you need third man and deep point. A field that suits one delivery leaves gaps for another.
5. Judge the decision, not the outcome
A perfect yorker can still be edged for four. The best captains, and the 5overs grading, judge each call on what it did to the win chance, not on what happened next.