Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup History
The ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup has produced some of the greatest bowling spells in the history of the game. Fast bowlers have dominated many of the top positions, using swing, seam, pace and accuracy to change matches within a few overs. Glenn McGrath holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI World Cup history with 7/15 against Namibia in 2003. Andy Bichel, Tim Southee, Winston Davis and Mohammed Shami are the other bowlers to take seven wickets in a World Cup innings. Shami’s 7/57 against New Zealand in the 2023 semifinal is the most recent seven-wicket haul and the best World Cup bowling performance by an Indian.
Best Bowling Figures in ODI World Cup History
| Rank | Player | Team | Figures | Opponent | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 7/15 | Namibia | 2003 |
| 2 | Andy Bichel | Australia | 7/20 | England | 2003 |
| 3 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | 7/33 | England | 2015 |
| 4 | Winston Davis | West Indies | 7/51 | Australia | 1983 |
| 5 | Mohammed Shami | India | 7/57 | New Zealand | 2023 |
| 6 | Gary Gilmour | Australia | 6/14 | England | 1975 |
| 7 | Ashish Nehra | India | 6/23 | England | 2003 |
| 8 | Shane Bond | New Zealand | 6/23 | Australia | 2003 |
| 9 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 6/25 | Bangladesh | 2003 |
| 10 | Kemar Roach | West Indies | 6/27 | Netherlands | 2011 |
McGrath’s 7/15 remains the overall record, while Bichel’s 7/20 came in the same 2003 tournament. Southee became the third bowler to take seven wickets in a World Cup innings when he returned 7/33 against England in 2015. Shami joined the group in 2023 with his match-winning 7/57 in the semifinal.
Glenn McGrath – 7/15 vs Namibia, 2003
Glenn McGrath produced the best bowling figures in ODI World Cup history against Namibia at Potchefstroom during the 2003 tournament.
The Australian fast bowler took seven wickets for only 15 runs from seven overs. Four of those overs were maidens, giving him an economy rate of just 2.14.
McGrath’s accuracy was the main reason the spell was so destructive. He repeatedly attacked the top of off stump and gave the Namibia batters very little room to score.
Australia completely controlled the match, and McGrath’s 7/15 became a record that has survived every World Cup since.
His World Cup career was also extraordinary beyond this one spell. McGrath finished with 71 wickets, making him the highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history.
Andy Bichel – 7/20 vs England, 2003
Andy Bichel produced the second-best bowling figures in World Cup history only a few days after McGrath had set the record.
Playing against England at Gqeberha, Bichel took 7/20 from his full allocation of 10 overs.
The spell was especially important because Australia were under pressure. England appeared capable of building a competitive total before Bichel repeatedly broke partnerships.
His seven wickets restricted England and allowed Australia to remain in the match. Bichel then also contributed with the bat during a difficult chase.
Australia eventually won, making his performance one of the finest all-round displays of the 2003 World Cup.
Bichel’s 7/20 remains the second-best bowling analysis in tournament history.
Tim Southee – 7/33 vs England, 2015
Tim Southee’s 7/33 against England in Wellington is one of the most famous spells in New Zealand World Cup history.
Southee bowled nine overs and took seven wickets while conceding only 33 runs. England were dismissed for 123, leaving New Zealand with a small target.
The home side chased the runs in only 12.2 overs.
Southee used swing brilliantly with the new ball before returning to attack the lower order. His ability to move the ball late made England’s batters vulnerable throughout the innings.
The 7/33 remains New Zealand’s best bowling performance in an ODI World Cup match.
Winston Davis – 7/51 vs Australia, 1983
Winston Davis became the first bowler to take seven wickets in a World Cup innings.
The West Indies fast bowler achieved the feat against Australia at Headingley during the 1983 tournament.
He finished with 7/51 from 10.3 overs.
At the time, a seven-wicket haul in an ODI was extremely rare. Davis’s performance established a World Cup record that stood until McGrath and Bichel passed it in terms of runs conceded during the 2003 tournament.
His 7/51 remains one of the greatest bowling efforts by a West Indies player in World Cup history.
Mohammed Shami – 7/57 vs New Zealand, 2023
Mohammed Shami delivered India’s greatest World Cup bowling performance in the 2023 semifinal against New Zealand at Mumbai.
India had posted 397/4, but New Zealand remained competitive through a major partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson.
Shami broke the partnership and repeatedly struck during the final stages of the chase. He finished with 7/57 from 9.5 overs.
India won the match and reached the World Cup final.
The spell took Shami to 24 wickets in only six matches at that stage of the tournament. He later finished the 2023 World Cup as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets.
His 7/57 is the fifth-best innings analysis in ODI World Cup history and the best by an Indian bowler.
Gary Gilmour – 6/14 vs England, 1975
Gary Gilmour’s 6/14 came in the semifinal of the inaugural 1975 World Cup.
Australia faced England at Headingley, and Gilmour produced a spell that completely changed the match.
He conceded only 14 runs while taking six wickets from 12 overs, six of which were maidens.
His economy rate of 1.16 is one of the most remarkable parts of the performance.
Gilmour then took another five wickets in the final against West Indies. Although Australia lost the championship match, he finished the tournament with two five-wicket hauls in only two appearances.
Mitchell Starc – 6/28 vs New Zealand, 2015
Mitchell Starc has one of the strongest overall bowling records in World Cup history, and his best innings figures came against New Zealand in 2015.
Australia had been dismissed for only 151 at Eden Park, leaving Starc very little room for error.
The left-arm fast bowler responded with 6/28. His yorkers and late swing caused a dramatic collapse, and New Zealand eventually won by only one wicket.
Even though Australia lost, Starc’s spell nearly defended an extremely low target.
He finished the 2015 World Cup with 22 wickets and was one of the tournament’s leading bowlers.
Trent Boult – 5/27 vs Australia, 2015
Trent Boult played the other major bowling role in the same low-scoring Australia-New Zealand match.
Boult finished with 5/27 from 10 overs, including three maidens.
His second spell was especially destructive. He removed several middle and lower-order batters and helped reduce Australia from 96/4 to 124/9.
New Zealand eventually dismissed Australia for 151.
Boult finished the 2015 tournament with 22 wickets, level with Starc as the joint highest wicket-taker.
Best Bowling Figures in Each ODI World Cup Edition
| Edition | Bowler | Team | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Gary Gilmour | Australia | 6/14 |
| 1979 | Alan Hurst | Australia | 5/21 |
| 1983 | Winston Davis | West Indies | 7/51 |
| 1987 | Craig McDermott | Australia | 5/44 |
| 1992 | Meyrick Pringle | South Africa | 4/11 |
| 1996 | Paul Strang | Zimbabwe | 5/21 |
| 1999 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 5/14 |
| 2003 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 7/15 |
| 2007 | Andrew Hall | South Africa | 5/18 |
| 2011 | Kemar Roach | West Indies | 6/27 |
| 2015 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | 7/33 |
| 2019 | Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan | 6/35 |
| 2023 | Mohammed Shami | India | 7/57 |
The 1992 tournament is the only edition in which no bowler took a five-wicket haul. Meyrick Pringle’s 4/11 was the best innings performance that year. The 2003 tournament, by contrast, was packed with exceptional bowling performances, including McGrath’s 7/15, Bichel’s 7/20, Nehra’s 6/23, Bond’s 6/23 and Vaas’s 6/25.
Most Five-Wicket Hauls in ODI World Cup History
| Rank | Bowler | Team | Five-Wicket Hauls | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammed Shami | India | 4 | 7/57 |
| 2 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | 3 | 6/28 |
| 3 | Gary Gilmour | Australia | 2 | 6/14 |
| 3 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 2 | 7/15 |
| 3 | Ashantha de Mel | Sri Lanka | 2 | 5/32 |
| 3 | Vasbert Drakes | West Indies | 2 | 5/33 |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 2 | 5/16 |
| 3 | Mustafizur Rahman | Bangladesh | 2 | 5/59 |
| 3 | Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan | 2 | 6/35 |
Mohammed Shami holds the World Cup record with four five-wicket hauls. Three of those came in the 2023 tournament alone, which is also the record for most five-wicket hauls in a single World Cup edition.
Mitchell Starc is second with three career five-wicket hauls, while seven other bowlers have taken two.
Mohammed Shami’s World Cup Five-Wicket Record
Shami’s position on the five-wicket-haul list is especially impressive because he has played fewer World Cup matches than many other leading fast bowlers.
He has taken four five-wicket hauls from 18 World Cup innings.
His record includes three five-wicket hauls during the 2023 tournament. He took 5/54 against New Zealand in the league stage, 5/18 against Sri Lanka and 7/57 against New Zealand in the semifinal.
Those performances helped him finish the tournament with 24 wickets despite not playing every match.
Why Fast Bowlers Dominate the Best Bowling Figures List
The top World Cup bowling figures are heavily dominated by fast and seam bowlers.
McGrath, Bichel, Southee, Davis, Shami, Gilmour, Nehra, Bond, Vaas and Roach were all pace or seam bowlers.
There are several reasons for this pattern. New-ball bowlers get the first opportunity to attack when the ball is hard and capable of swinging. Fast bowlers are also more likely to return at the death, where batters take greater risks.
World Cup conditions have also often favored seam bowling. Tournaments in England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have regularly provided movement through the air or off the pitch.
Spinners have still produced major World Cup performances, but the most extreme single-innings figures remain dominated by pace.
Conclusion
Glenn McGrath holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI World Cup history with 7/15 against Namibia in 2003. His performance remains ahead of Andy Bichel’s 7/20, Tim Southee’s 7/33, Winston Davis’s 7/51 and Mohammed Shami’s 7/57.
The list also includes iconic six-wicket performances from Gary Gilmour, Ashish Nehra, Shane Bond, Chaminda Vaas and Kemar Roach.
Mitchell Starc’s 6/28 and Trent Boult’s 5/27 in the same 2015 match show how great bowling performances can come from both sides in one contest.
Shami has another major record: four career five-wicket hauls, the most by any bowler in ODI World Cup history. His three five-fors in the 2023 edition also represent a single-tournament record.
World Cup bowling records are often defined by one spell that changes a match completely. McGrath’s 7/15 has remained untouched since 2003, making it one of the longest-standing and most difficult records in ODI World Cup cricket.
FAQs
Who has the best bowling figures in ODI World Cup history?
Glenn McGrath holds the record with 7/15 for Australia against Namibia in the 2003 World Cup.
Who has taken seven wickets in an ODI World Cup match?
Glenn McGrath, Andy Bichel, Tim Southee, Winston Davis and Mohammed Shami have all taken seven wickets in a World Cup innings.
What are Mohammed Shami’s best World Cup bowling figures?
Shami’s best figures are 7/57 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal.
What are India’s best bowling figures in a World Cup?
Mohammed Shami’s 7/57 are the best World Cup figures by an Indian bowler.
What are Tim Southee’s best World Cup figures?
Tim Southee took 7/33 against England in Wellington during the 2015 World Cup.
What are Mitchell Starc’s best World Cup figures?
Mitchell Starc’s best figures are 6/28 against New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup.
What are Trent Boult’s best World Cup figures?
Trent Boult’s best World Cup figures are 5/27 against Australia in 2015.
Who has taken the most five-wicket hauls in World Cup history?
Mohammed Shami holds the record with four five-wicket hauls.
How many World Cup five-wicket hauls does Mitchell Starc have?
Mitchell Starc has three five-wicket hauls in ODI World Cups.
Who took the best bowling figures in the 2019 World Cup?
Shaheen Shah Afridi recorded the best figures of the 2019 tournament with 6/35.
Who had the best bowling figures in the 2015 World Cup?
Tim Southee led the 2015 tournament with 7/33 against England.
Who had the best bowling figures in the 2011 World Cup?
Kemar Roach recorded 6/27 against the Netherlands.
Who had the best bowling figures in the 2007 World Cup?
Andrew Hall took 5/18, the best innings figures of the 2007 tournament.
Which World Cup had no five-wicket haul?
The 1992 World Cup was the only edition in which no bowler took five wickets in an innings.
Who was the first bowler to take seven wickets in a World Cup match?
Winston Davis became the first when he took 7/51 for West Indies against Australia in 1983.
Rivcky John
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