Top 10 Best bowling spells in ODI history
Top 10 Best bowling spells in ODI history
Whenever there will be a debate about the best bowling spells in ODIs, a few performances will always flash into the memories. The most recent one of them being Wahab Riaz’s furious spell against Australia. It was the World Cup 2015 when Wahab Riaz received sledging from Aussies while he was batting. Later on the Pakistani pacer gave them a taste of their own medicine. One of the most fearsome spell, cricket world has seen in recent years as admitted by the opposition as well. Though Wahab Riaz ended on a losing side but the spell was indeed one of the best bowling spells. However to be more clear, the following lines are not about bowling spells in terms of intensity or passion. Rather our classification of best bowling spells is more statistical. In fact, following are the best bowling performances based on the number of wickets taken.
No surprises, bowlers are meant to take wickets in any game. The primary aim of any bowler whether fast or spin, is to take wickets. Being significantly economical also comes under the same head. In short bowlers have to take wickets no matter by which means used. So instead of a player frightening the batsman from his pace, why shouldn’t we be cheering up a bowler with six or seven wickets taken in a game. Best bowling performance in One Day Internationals belongs to Chaminda Vaas. The former Sri Lankan bowler single handedly dismantled Zimbabwean batting line up in December 2001. With two more overs to spare Vass took 8 wickets as Zimbabwe inning was done on a mere 38 runs. In process Chaminda Vaas also completed his hat trick restricting Zimbabwe to the lowest ODI total in history.
Although there have been many other best bowling spells in cricket none other has taken 8 wickets so far. Many reached up to 7 wickets but none has touched the long standing performance from the Lankan. Although Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi was a lot more economical when he took 7 against West Indeis. Still his number of wickets was one behind Chaminda Vaas.Top 10 best bowling spells in ODI history are as under.
Top 10 Best bowling spells in ODI history
| Figures | Player | Overs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Team | Opposition |
| 8/19 | WPUJC Vaas | 8.0 | 3 | 19 | 8 | Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe |
| 7/12 | Shahid Afridi | 9.0 | 3 | 12 | 7 | Pakistan | West Indies |
| 7/15 | GD McGrath | 7.0 | 4 | 15 | 7 | Australia | Namibia |
| 7/20 | AJ Bichel | 10.0 | 0 | 20 | 7 | Australia | England |
| 7/30 | M Muralitharan | 10.0 | 1 | 30 | 7 | Sri Lanka | India |
| 7/33 | TG Southee | 9.0 | 0 | 33 | 7 | New Zealand | England |
| 7/36 | Waqar Younis | 10.0 | 0 | 36 | 7 | Pakistan | England |
| 7/37 | Aaqib Javed | 10.0 | 1 | 37 | 7 | Pakistan | India |
| 7/45 | Imran Tahir | 9.0 | 0 | 45 | 7 | South Africa | West Indies |
| 7/51 | WW Davis | 10.3 | 0 | 51 | 7 | West Indies | Australia |
