The ODI World Cup has a lot of legacy when it comes to Indian cricket. We have seen some of the batters as well as the bowlers make a name for themselves over the years.
This is where the brands of Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli were made, and these performances turned themselves into national icons.
This was also the case for the bowlers who would go on to become legendary with their superlative bowling performances.
Take a look at the top Indian bowlers with best bowling figures in ODI World Cup.
Who are the Top Five Indian Bowlers with Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup?
Our list begins with Ashish Nehra, who did some stupendous bowing during the 2003 ODI World Cup with figures of 6/23 against England.
He is followed by the likes of Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Kapil Dev.
Here’s the complete list:
- Ashish Nehra
- Venkatesh Prasad
- Robin Singh
- Yuvraj Singh
- Kapil Dev
Analysis of the Performances of Indian Bowlers with Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup
Let’s begin our analysis with Nehra, who has the best ever bowling figures as far as India is concerned in the ODI World Cup.
Ashish Nehra 6/23 vs England (2003 ODI World Cup):
Against England during the 2003 ODI World Cup, Ashish Nehra bowled his heart out, picking up six wickets for 23 runs.
- This remains the best bowling performance for India at the ODI World Cup.
- Batting first, India posted a total of 250, which looked gettable.
- In reply, England’s top order fizzled out as Nehra bowled brilliantly, reducing England to 5/62 at one stage.
- Eventually, England were all out for 168, losing the match by a massive margin of 82 runs.
Venkatesh Prasad 5/27 vs Pakistan (1999 ODI World Cup):
In a crunch game against Pakistan, which was played against the backdrop of the India-Pakistan war, Prasad brought his ‘A’ game to Old Trafford.
- India had won the toss and opted to bat first under seaming conditions.
- Sachin Tendulkar scored 45, and Rahul Dravid scored 61. Ajay Jadeja also chipped in with 59 off 77 balls as India posted a respectable total of 227/6.
- In reply, Pakistan had a horrendous start. Except for Saeed Anwar, the rest of the batters failed to get going. Pakistan was reduced to 5/78 at one stage.
- Eventually, Pakistan lost the game by 47 runs, as they were all out for 180.
Robin Singh’s 5/31 vs Sri Lanka (1999 ODI World Cup):
In a match where India had dominated the whole game, Singh picked up figures of 5/31.
- Earlier, India had batted first and posted a humongous 373/6, riding on the centuries of Sourav Ganguly (183) and Rahul Dravid (145).
- But people forget that it was Singh who made that huge win possible.
- He ran through the Sri Lanka line-up as they were bundled out for 216, losing the match by 157 runs.
Yuvraj Singh’s 5/31 vs Ireland (2011 ODI World Cup):
Yuvraj is fourth in our list of Indian Bowlers with Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup, thanks to his sublime bowling against Ireland in Bengaluru.
- He picked up figures of 5/31, picking up crucial wickets from William Porterfield, Andrew White, Kevin O’Brien, Alex Cusack, and John Mooney.
- This effort ensured that Ireland were all out for 207.
- In reply, India chased down that total with five wickets to spare. Here too, Yuvraj scored a solid fifty; in fact, he was not out for 50.
Kapil Dev’s 5/43 vs Australia (1983 ODI World Cup):
Kapil Dev is not an ordinary cricketer. He was the one who led India to their first World Cup title.
- It was at the same tournament in 1983 that he also came into his own with the ball against Australia. However, India would go on to lose the match by 162 runs.
- Australia won the toss on a pitch full of runs and hammered 320/9.
- Opener Trevor Chappell scored 110, but Dev managed to pick up a fifer.
- Just imagine what would have happened had he not picked up those wickets. The Aussie score would have crossed 350!
- However, the damage was done, and the Indian batting came under pressure right from the first ball.
- Skipper himself top scored with 40 runs as India were all out for 158, losing the match by a massive 162 runs.
Final Thoughts on Indian Bowlers with Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup
These were some of the great bowling performances as far as Indians are concerned.
These performances either reaffirmed these players’ brands or helped create new ones.
For instance, Nehra’s 6/23 put him among the best in business.
Earlier, it was Zaheer Khan who was considered the best, but with Nehra’s performance, he also started to gain followers.
Meanwhile, when Kapil Dev picked up a wicket against Australia, he was already a big star, and this performance only reaffirmed fans’ confidence in him and in his captaincy.
FAQ
1. Who has the best bowling figures in the ODI World Cup for India?
Ashish Nehra, who picked up 6/23 against England.
2.Who is the best bowler of all time in India?
There is no definitive answer to this question. India has produced some classy performers.
3. What are the best figures by an Indian bowler in T20?
Deepak Chahar’s 6/7 against Bangladesh in 2019 is the best bowling figure in T20 by an Indian bowler.
