ODI World Cup is one of the oldest sports tournaments to take place in the world. It takes place once every four years and started in 1975. West Indies won the first two editions (1975 and 1979), but later Australia came and took the world by storm by winning a record five titles.
Everyone knows who the batters are who have dominated this tournament. But with strong batting, no team can win a competition; they also need a good bowling unit. This article will talk about some of the best bowling spells recorded in the World Cup that changed the course of the game. So let’s check it out.
Best Bowling Figures in Cricket World Cup
| Bowler | Over | Maiden | Spell | Vs | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 7 | 4 | 7/15 | Namibia | Senwes Park | 27/02/2003 |
| Andy Bichel (AUS) | 10 | 0 | 7/20 | England | St George’s Park | 02/03/2003 |
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 9 | 0 | 7/33 | England | Sky Stadium | 20/02/2015 |
| Winston Davis (WI) | 10.3 | 0 | 7/51 | Australia | Headingley | 11/06/1983 |
| Gary Gilmour (AUS) | 12 | 6 | 6/14 | England | Headingley | 18/06/1975 |
| Shane Bond (NZ) | 10 | 2 | 6/23 | Australia | St George’s Park | 11/03/2003 |
| Ashish Nehra (IND) | 10 | 2 | 6/23 | England | Kingsmead | 26/02/2003 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 9.1 | 2 | 6/25 | Bangladesh | City Oval | 14/02/2003 |
| Kemar Roach (WI) | 8.3 | 0 | 6/27 | Netherlands | Arun Jaitley | 28/02/2011 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 9 | 0 | 6/28 | New Zealand | Eden Park | 28/02/2015 |
5. Gary Gilmour (6/14) vs England in 1975
In the era of T20 cricket, a bowler concedes a lot of runs. And no one can imagine a bowler giving up just 14 runs in 12 overs. But it happened in 1975, when ODIs were 60-over games. Former Australia bowler Gary Gilmour registered a figure of 6/14 in his 12 overs to help his team dismiss England for just 93 runs in 36.2 overs in Leeds. Later, Australia made 94/6 and won by four wickets.
4. Winston Davis (7/51) vs Australia in 1983
There are only four occasions when a bowler took a seven-wicket haul in the World Cup. The first bowler to do so was former West Indian Winston Davis, who took 7/51 in his 10.3 overs against Australia in Leeds in the 1983 World Cup. West Indies made 252/9, dismissed Australia for just 151 runs, and won by 101 runs.
3. Tim Southee (7/33) vs England in 2015
The last bowler to take a seven-wicket haul in the World Cup was Tim Southee. He did it against England in the 2015 World Cup in Wellington. It was the ninth game, and England were bowled out for just 123 runs in 33.2 overs, with Southee taking 7/33 in nine overs. New Zealand made 125/2 in just 12.2 overs and won by 8 wickets with 225 balls.
2. Andy Bichel (7/20) vs England in 2003
Two Australian bowlers registered seven-wicket hauls in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. One of them was Andy Bichel, who took 7/20 against England in Port Elizabeth. Batting first, England made 204/8 in the first innings, with Bichel taking seven wickets. In response, Australia made 208/8 in 49.4 overs to win the game.
1. Glenn McGrath (7/5) vs Namibia in 2003
Glenn McGrath is the most successful bowler in World Cup history, with most wickets (71). He also registered the best bowling spell in the World Cup, which came in 2003 edition against Namibia. Batting first, Australia made 301/6 in the first inning. In the chase, Namibia were bowled out for just 45 runs in 14 overs. McGrath bowled seven overs, including four maidens, and took 7/15.