Sonny Baker has been impressive in The Hundred 2026. Image Credits: AFP
A constant feature across the Super Giants franchise has been the recruitment of the best local pacers. From Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL to Manchester Super Giants (MSG) in The Hundred, they have always maintained a good pool of fast bowlers.
Among them is Sonny Baker, who has taken The Hundred 2026 by storm with his fiery fast bowling. He has consistently bowled at a good pace and hit hard lengths.
Sonny Baker bowls fiery spells in 2026
Sonny Baker has been among wickets in The Hundred 2026
Sonny Baker is currently the joint third-leading wicket-taker in The Hundred 2026. He has seven wickets at an average of 16.42 and an economy rate of 8.96 in four innings.
Among all the pacers with at least 10 overs, Baker’s strike rate (11) is the third-worst in 2026. He came into the tournament on the back of a solid T20 Blast 2026 campaign, in which his team, Hampshire, reached the final.
The young sensation snared 21 wickets at an average of 11.76 and a strike rate of 8.80 across eight innings. He conceded only 8.01 runs per over and took two five-wicket hauls, including one in the summit clash.
All in all, Baker has been in sensational form this year and has proved his high credentials in the T20 format. Overall, he has 31 wickets at 13.38 runs apiece in 14 T20 outings this year. On average, he has dismissed a batter every 9.70 deliveries.
Precise usage of good and short lengths
In The Hundred 2026, Sonny Baker has shown a good mix of lengths, altering them adeptly. His most effective lengths have been good lengths (6-8 metres) and back-of-a-length (10+ metres).
Sonny has bowled around 40.25% of good-length deliveries, conceding only 8.32 runs per over and taking two wickets. On short balls, the pacer has earned two wickets in 11 balls.
In between, there’s also a pinpoint yorker that removed a well-set Mitchell Marsh in Leeds. Sonny Baker’s pace on this delivery read 147 km/h, as the ball crashed the stumps even before Marsh could bring his bat down.
Sonny Baker has earned most of his wickets from good and short lengths
His pace has been too quick to handle in general this tournament. Baker has often rushed batters with his sharp speed and nip off the surfaces that have assisted his craft at times.
Take Tom Banton’s dismissal, for instance. The pacer bowled a short length with an inward angle, and Banton tried to hook across the line but was rushed by the pace. He could only get a top edge, as the ball went into the hands of the fielder at square leg.
Sonny Baker is a kind of pacer who can be expensive at times, but has a knack for picking wickets. No wonder Manchester Super Giants have used him aggressively throughout the competition and asked him to bowl at high pace in every spell.
Sonny Baker has been impressive with the ball
This season, he has attempted only one slower ball in the competition, with the focus on bowling out-and-out pace. That has worked well for him and Manchester Super Giants so far.
How LSG could benefit from buying Sonny Baker for IPL 2027
For starters, Lucknow Super Giants have seen Sonny Baker from close quarters in The Hundred 2026. Their management must have been pleased with his attributes, and if things go well, they could look to add him to their IPL team.
Currently, LSG have multiple pace options in the Indian department, but the overseas section has only Anrich Nortje. Given Nortje’s injury and form issues, LSG might part ways with him ahead of the next season, opening the doors for an overseas fast bowler in the squad.
Sonny Baker is a like-for-like replacement for Nortje, since both operate at high pace and bowl shorter lengths most of the time. If the Lucknow-based franchise gets the English pacer, they can use him as an enforcer in the middle overs to complement the likes of Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav.
Avesh Khan hasn’t shown encouraging signs, with his inaccuracy resulting in high economy rates in the last couple of years. Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav is injury-prone and needs ample workload management to remain fit and firing.
Hence, LSG need more options for the middle overs, and Baker could be an ideal fit. He still needs to develop his defensive skills, since the IPL decks are unforgiving, but he has a decent base to build on.
Eventually, LSG won’t mind him leaking a few runs if he can consistently bring big wickets. That’s how IPL works these days; limiting runs is next to impossible on most days.
For now, Sonny Baker is enjoying his purple patch and taking wickets at will. The key should be to extend this run as far as possible to open newer opportunities in the toughest T20 league.
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