Presenting the unbreakable bowling records in ODI cricket
After two years of action-packed T20I cricket, it is time for the 50-over format to take over. Plenty of One Day International matches are lined up as a run-up to the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup scheduled in India. As has been the case, the iconic tournament will see plenty of records being scripted. Here are the unbreakable bowling records in ODIs.
Only pacer with over 500 ODI wickets
Fast bowlers have failed to stamp their authority in ODI cricket of late. There was a time when seamers ruled this format due to the one-ball rule. Known as the Sultan of Swing, Wasim Akram remains the only pacer with over 500 ODI wickets (502). Nearly two decades after his retirement, he is the highest wicket-taker among pacers and second-highest overall in ODIs.
Most ODI wickets away from home
Akram also holds the record for taking the most ODI wickets away from home (168). Due to the dearth of ODI cricket, no other active bowler has more than 100 wickets in this regard. Akram is likely to own this record for long.
Only bowler to take over seven wickets in an ODI
Former Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas has the record for best figures in an ODI (8/19 vs Zimbabwe, 2001). Over two decades later, none of the players have managed to take more than seven wickets in an ODI. Pakistan's Shahid Afridi follows Vaas in this regard (7/12 vs West Indies, 2011). Notable, Vaas also took a historic hat-trick during that match.
Three hat-tricks in ODI cricket
Taking a hat-trick in any format of cricket is a dream for a fast bowler. Former Sri Lankan seamer Lasith Malinga has taken as many as three of them in ODI cricket. He remains the only bowler to have taken more than two ODI hat-tricks. Notably, Malinga took two of them in the same year (2011), also a record on its own.
Only bowler to take an ODI double hat-trick
Taking four wickets in four consecutive balls is known as a double hat-trick. Malinga is the only player to achieve this feat in ODI cricket. He took four wickets in four balls against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup.
Most wickets in ODI World Cup
Former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan finished his career with 68 wickets in the ODI World Cup. South Africa's Imran Tahir is the only other spinner with 40 wickets in the tournament. Among active spinners, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan trails Murali, with 34 wickets. The former is unlikely to reach the pinnacle as this will likely be his last World Cup.
Simmons's economy rate of 0.30 in ODIs
Former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons took 4/3 in 10 overs against Pakistan in the 1992 Benson and Hedges World Series. His economy rate of 0.30 is the best in ODIs for a bowler who bowled all 10 overs. The former medium-pacer conceded just three runs and bowled as many as eight maiden overs in that spell.
