Cricket is a batting-dominant game, and with the arrival of T20 cricket, the role of a bowler has become even harder. That is why bowlers have made a whole lot of changes in their bowling tactics when it comes to the T20 format. Thus, we have seen many times when a bowler goes on to change the game on its head.
Still, the pressure of playing in the T20 leagues is totally different, because the world’s best batters play in there. The next edition of the Big Bash League is scheduled to start on December 13th. We will witness more amazing games in this tournament. And in this article, we will cover the best bowling figures ever bowled in the history of the BBL.
Best Bowling Figures in BBL innings
| Bowler | Overs | Wkts | Team | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasith Malinga | 4.0 | 6/7 | Stars | Scorchers | Perth | 12 Dec 2012 |
| Ish Sodhi | 3.3 | 6/11 | Strikers | Thunder | Sydney | 18 Jan 2017 |
| Rashid Khan | 4.0 | 6/17 | Strikers | Heat | Brisbane | 12 Jan 2022 |
| Henry Thornton | 2.5 | 5/3 | Strikers | Thunder | Sydney | 16 Dec 2022 |
| Dan Christian | 4.0 | 5/14 | Hurricanes | Strikers | Hobart | 2 Jan 2017 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 4.0 | 5/15 | Heat | Hurricanes | Brisbane | 30 Dec 2020 |
| Sean Abbott | 4.0 | 5/16 | Sixers | Strikers | Adelaide | 31 Dec 2016 |
| Peter Siddle | 3.3 | 5/16 | Strikers | Hurricanes | Launceston | 15 Dec 2020 |
| Adam Zampa | 3.2 | 5/17 | Stars | Strikers | Melbourne | 15 Jan 2021 |
| D’Arcy Short | 4.0 | 5/21 | Hurricanes | Thunder | Hobart | 24 Jan 2020 |
| Cameron Boyce | 4.0 | 5/21 | Renegades | Thunder | Melbourne | 19 Jan 2022 |
3. Rashid Khan (6/17) vs Brisbane Heat in 2022
Rashid Khan is among the best spinners of modern times. He is vastly experienced and has played all over the world in various leagues. Rashid is third on the list. His best BBL figure came in the 2021-22 season, when the Adelaide Strikers faced the Brisbane Heat in the 44th match of the tournament at Brisbane. Adelaide won the toss and chose to bat first.
Adelaide had a good start and, with the help of little partnerships in the middle, made 161/4 in their 20 overs. In reply, Brisbane had a poor start and lost four wickets for 62 runs in 8.2 overs. That was the time when Rashid came to bowl after the power-play, and after that, none of the batters could play him. He dismissed all the remaining six batters, and Brisbane got all out for 90 runs. Rashid picked up only the third six-wicket haul in BBL history and took 6/17 in four overs.
2. Ish Sodhi (6/11) vs Sydney Thunder in 2017
Leg-spinners are the wicket-taking options for any team in cricket. We have seen most of the teams picking leg-spinners, especially in T20 cricket. And in second place, there is another leg-spinner. Ish Sodhi has bowled the second best bowling figures in the BBL. It was the game between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunders in Sydney in the 2017 BBL. Batting first, Adelaide made 178/5 in their 20 overs. Ben Dunk played well for his 65 off 40 balls.
Chasing the target, Sydney Thunder had a 58-run partnership for the second wicket and were at 60/2 in 7.4 overs. But after that, the real carnage started. It was Ish Sodhi who just changed the game totally. He bowled a wicket-less first over, but in the next three overs he picked up three wickets each. Sodhi ended up with an incredible figure of 6/11 in 3.3 overs and Sydney got all out for 101 runs. He registered only the second six-wicket haul in BBL history.
1. Lasith Malinga (6/7) vs Perth Scorchers in 2012 (Best in BBL)
Who else but the legendary Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga can do wonders with the bowl? He has proved it again and again at international level. Malinga holds the record of bowling the best ever figure in the BBL’s history. None of the other bowlers were able to break that record. It happened during the 2012 season, when the Perth Scorchers played the Melbourne Stars in Perth. After winning the toss, Melbourne chose to bowl first.
And that decision was proved right by the bowlers. Batting first, Perth had a horrible day with the bat and they lost their first four wickets each in the first four overs. James Faulkner took 2/16 in four overs. But the main man was Malinga, who bowled the spell of the century. He picked up six wickets for just seven runs in his four overs and Perth got all out for 69 runs. Due to rain, the D/L target was missed, and Melbourne won the match.