These bowlers evened the playing field!
In limited-overs cricket, bowlers face the significant challenge of containing opposing batters. Despite the bat-and-ball duel, many bowlers have dominated entire batting lineups, making life tough for batters. Over the years, we've witnessed some remarkable white-ball performances in ODI cricket. In this article, we'll explore the top 5 bowling performances in ODI history.
In the 2015 Cricket World Cup group stage, the trans-Tasman rivalry produced a low-scoring thriller. After opting to bat, Australia were bowled out for 151 by New Zealand. Although the target was modest, Mitchell Starc kept Australia in the game with a fiery spell. He struck early, then clean-bowled Ross Taylor and Grant Elliot in consecutive deliveries. With New Zealand needing 13 from 175 balls, Starc dismissed Luke Ronchi, Adam Milne, and Tim Southee, leaving New Zealand at 149 for 9. Despite his six wickets for 28 runs in nine overs, Kane Williamson sealed the win with a six.
In the 2023 Asia Cup final in Colombo, Mohammed Siraj wreaked havoc with the new ball against Sri Lanka. After Sri Lanka opted to bat, they aimed for a big total, but Siraj had other plans. Following Jasprit Bumrah's early breakthrough, Siraj decimated Sri Lanka's top and middle order. He started with a maiden and then took 4 wickets in his next over, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 12/5. Siraj continued his assault, clean-bowling Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis to finish with figures of 7-1-21-6. His brilliance helped India bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 runs, their second-lowest ODI total.
In the 2008 Asia Cup final, Sri Lankan bowler Ajantha Mendis delivered a masterclass against India. After Sri Lanka set a challenging target of 274, Virender Sehwag's aggressive batting looked set to chase it down until captain Mahela Jayawardene introduced Mendis. India had never faced Mendis’ mystery spin before, and it proved decisive. Mendis struck on his second ball, stumping Sehwag, and two deliveries later, he bowled out Yuvraj Singh. He continued to dominate, dismissing Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, and RP Singh, leaving India at 154 for 8. Mendis ended with stunning figures of 6 for 13 in 8 overs.
Stuart Binny delivered a spellbinding performance in Mirpur, dismantling Bangladesh for just 58 runs. After India’s batters were dismissed for 105, Binny's bowling turned the game. He began with a maiden over, followed by another wicket-maiden. In his third over, he took 2 wickets, including the crucial one of Mohammad Mithun. Binny continued his dominance, claiming Mashrafe Mortaza in the fourth over and clean-bowling Nasir Hossain and Al-Amin Hossain in his fifth. India bowled out Bangladesh for 58, with Binny achieving the best ODI bowling figures by an Indian at the time: 6 wickets for just 4 runs in 4.4 overs.
Chaminda Vaas delivered an exceptional ODI performance against Zimbabwe in 2001, during the first match of the triangular series. He made an immediate impact, taking the first wicket on the very first ball of Zimbabwe’s innings. Vaas then dismantled Zimbabwe’s lineup, claiming the next 7 wickets in succession. He dismissed 4 batters for ducks, 3 others for single-digit scores, and their captain, Stuart Carlisle, for 16. Vaas ended with remarkable figures of 8 wickets for 19 runs in 8 overs, setting the record for the best bowling figures in ODI cricket at that time.
These spells all shift the power dynamic from the batters, really creating an equilibrium in a game dominated by power-hitting.
