Wicket takers have always been a game changer in cricket. Today we will discuss about top five bowlers to fastest 50 wickets in ODI.
In cricket most of the time we talk about batsmen and their records and forget bowlers who have been equally responsible for their team’s win in any format. We have number of example when a bowler changed the result of the game.
Shane Warne spells of semi final and final of 1999 World Cup was a fine example of it and who else can forget the magical super over of kagiso Rabada in IPL when he defended only 10 runs in front of Kolkata Knight Riders’s Russel.
We tend to remember runs over wickets and knocks above spells. The game of cricket has been changed a lot, with new rules it seems that it has become batsmen game but we have to agree with the fact that bowlers also change the results of the game.
In this article we will not talk about fastest half century, most ODI runs and most centuries but we will talk about Fastest 50 Wickets in ODI. 50 wickets in less than 30 ODI matches is something makes a bowler special. Ajantha Mendis is only a spinner to the best 5 bowlers to fastest 50 wickets in ODI.
Generally bowlers are classified into two categories fast and spin bowlers. But then we can describe bowlers as a wicket takers and containers. Containers are those who make pressure on batsman with their dot balls. Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best example of it.
Every captain wants such pearls in his team but only few of them are blessed with such bowlers. Here we will bring you the top 5 bowlers with fastest 50 ODI wickets. Ajnatha Mendis of Sri Lanka tops the table followed by India’s Ajit Agarkar.
After the departure of Maralitharan from Sri Lankan Cricket, Ajantha Mendis has played his role perfectly in Sri Lankan team. Many says him the successor of Muralitharan. He took 50 wickets only in 19 matches. No other player has done the same before 20 matches.
#2 Ajit Agarkar
Ajit Agarkar from India fall in this category at second place. Agarkar from Mumbai was one of most successful in-swinger bowler of India. He took 50 wickets only in 23 matches. Agarkar was known for his ability to swing with old and new ball. Not only that he is the third highest wicket taker for India in ODI. For your surprise Ajit Agarkar named the fastest half century by an Indian in 21 balls at Rajkot against Zimbabwe in 2000.
Mitchell McClenaghan from New Zealand falls third in this category. He also plays vital role for Mumbai Indians in IPL. McClenaghan took 50 wickets in 23 matches. McClenaghan could play only 48 ODI matches and took 82 wickets. Because of his injuries he is shifted to the shorter format of the game.
Dennis Lillee from Australia made his wickets half century only in 24 matches. Lillee was the outstanding bowler of his generation and by the time of his retirement he had become the then world record holder for most Test wickets (355). He also went through injuries and could last his ODI carrier and played only 63 ODI.
#5 Hasan Ali
We all know that Pakistan is a land of bowlers. Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Soheb Akhtar have been favourite for cricket fans forever. But when it comes to fastest 50 wickets in ODI then you will not find any one of above mention names of Pakistani bowlers in the list. It is Hasan Ali who achieved this milestone only in 24 matches leaving behind all Pakistan’s bowler. Hasan achived the milestone only in 24 matches.
And we should always keep in mind that batsman win you a match but bowlers win you a tournament.