What double centuries are to batsmen, 5-wicket hauls are to bowlers. These are extremely rare to get, but if a bowler does get one, he will certainly remember it for a long time. To do it even once takes great effort, but to do it numerous times requires unmatched skill and determination.
There are a only a handful of bowlers who have picked more than 5-wicket hauls on the 50-over format of the game. It is needless to say, all of those players have went on to etch their names in the books of history.
Let us have a look at 5 bowlers with most 5-wicket hauls in ODI History:
1. Waqar Younis – 13
It has been almost two decades since Waqar Younish has hung his boots up, but such was the greatness of this man that his record is still intact. He has picked up 13 5-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. If that was not impressive enough, he also has 14 4-wicket hauls to his credit.
The Pakistani legend has played 262 ODI games for the men in green, in which he has picked up 416 wickets. He had maintained an average of less than 25, while his career ODI economy rate was under 5 runs per over.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan – 10
The fact that the top 2 names on this list are players who have retired from the game quite a while ago, only goes on to prove the class of bowlers from yesteryears. Muttiah Muralitharan is widely remembered for picking up 800 wickets in Test cricket.
However, he was equally good in ODI as well. The Sri Lankan spinner picked up 534 wickets in 350 ODI games, with an average of less than 25 and an economy rate of under 4 runs per over. He has 15 4-wicket hauls in ODI to his name, and also a splendid best bowling figures of 7/30.
3. Brett Lee – 9
Brett Lee is another cricketer who bid adieu to the game quite a while ago, but is till respected and lionized all across the globe. He has played 217 ODI matches for Australia, in which he has picked up 380 wickets.
Lee has picked up 9 5-wicket hauls in the ODI format. In addition to that, he has also picked up 14 4-wicket hauls in this format. He has a career bowling average of under 25 and an economy rate of under 5 runs per over. Binga maintained a strike rate of under 30 in what was a magnificent ODI career.
4. Shahid Afridi – 9
This name might take you by surprise, since Shahid Afridi is not known predominantly for his bowling. While praising the big-hitting batsman that he was, we often forget that ‘Boom Boom Afridi’ was also a very cunning bowler.
He made many batsmen fall prey to his spin bowling. In 398 ODI games, the all-rounder picked up 380 wickets. He has 9 ODI 5 –wicket hauls to his name, same as Brett Lee. However, he is much behind on ODI 4-wicket hauls.
5. Lasith Malinga – 8
The second Sri Lankan to feature in our list, Lasith Malinga has had a wonderful cricketing career. He has represented his nation 226 times in ODI cricket. In those matches, he picked up 338 wickets.
Malinga has an ODU career bowling average of less than 30, while his economy rate in this format is slightly over 5 runs per over. He has picked up 8 5-wicket hauls in ODI cricket, alongside 11 4-wicket hauls. The yorker specialist also has 11 4-wicket hauls in ODI, while his best bowling figures in ODI cricket is 6/38.
