The game of cricket revolves around the balance of power between the bat and ball. There is hardly any sight better in the game when a bowler runs through the batting lineup single-handedly.
There have been several occasions in ODI cricket, where bowlers have helped their teams in winning games with their dream spells.
Today, let’s have a look at the top ten bowling figures in One-Day Internationals:
10.) Aaqib Javed – 7/37
During the India-Pakistan ODI game at Sharjah, back in 1991, Aaqib Javed achieved the magnificent feat of picking up seven wickets in a game and conceded only 37 runs in his ten overs. His bowling figures remain the tenth best in the history of ODI cricket.
9.) Waqar Younis – 7/36
Following Javed is another legendary Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis who also clinched seven wickets in an innings against England in Leeds, back in 2001. Younis was unplayable during the match at Headingley, and his figures are the ninth-best in ODI cricket history.
8.) Trent Boult – 7/34
New Zealand’s left-arm pacer Trent Boult once ran through the West Indies batting lineup at Christchurch back in 2017, where he picked up seven wickets and conceded only 34 in his ten overs.
7.) Tim Southee – 7/33
From one Kiwi to another, Southee produced a memorable spell of fast bowling in the 2015 ODI World Cup, where Southee picked seven England wickets at Wellington. It is the best performance by a New Zealand bowler in ODI cricket, and seventh-best overall.
6.) Muttiah Muralitharan – 7/30
The Sri Lankan spin magician once bamboozled the Indian lineup by scalping seven wickets in an innings, during the Coca-Cola Trophy match at Sharjah back in 2000. Murali ended up with the sixth-best bowling figures and second-best by a Sri Lankan bowler
5.) Andy Bichel – 7/20
Andy Bichel set the encounter between Australia and England on fire in the 2003 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Bichel, who played behind the shadows of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee, proved his worth by bagging a seven-wicket haul against ‘The Three Lions’.
4.) Rashid Khan – 7/18
Promising Afghanistan wrist-spinner, Rashid Khan has already marked his presence in the record books, by ending up with the fourth-best bowling figures in the history of ODI cricket.
Rashid notched a seven-wicket haul against West Indies at Gros Islet back in 2017 and conceded only 18 runs in 8.4 overs bowled by him
3.) Glenn McGrath – 7/15
Another blockbuster performance from an Australian bowler in the 2003 ODI World Cup came from Glenn McGrath who picked up seven wickets and conceded only 15 runs at Potchefstroom. Out of the seven overs he bowled in his spell, four of them were maidens.
2.) Shahid Afridi – 7/12
Afridi’s utilities with both bat and ball can be browsed through the record books as he finds himself placed second in the list of top ten bowlers with the best bowling figures in ODIs.
The former Pakistani all-rounder picked up seven West Indies wickets at Providence back in 2013. Further, Afridi conceded only 12 in his nine-over spell, with an economy of 1.33.
1.) Chaminda Vaas – 8/19
Placed at the summit of the best bowling figures list is former Sri Lankan seamer Chaminda Vaas, who ran through Zimbabwe’s batting lineup single-handedly by picking up eight-wickets.
None of the bowlers, thus far, has managed to pick 8 out of 10 wickets in ODI cricket, barring Vaas. His feat came against Zimbabwe at Colombo (SSC) back in 2001. Vaas bowled eight overs where he conceded only 19 runs and bowled three maidens.
