ODI Records: Who has the quickest five-for in ODIs?

Taking a five-for is a rarity for any bowler be it a fast bowler or a spin bowler. Some would say taking a five-wicket haul is more difficult than scoring a century. In ODIs, the record for taking the most five-fors is held by Waqar Younis with 13 five-fors on the other hand the record for scoring the most centuries is held by Sachin Tendulkar with 49 centuries. 

Just to put things in perspective, Waqar took a five-wicket in almost every 20 innings while Tendulkar scored a century in almost every nine innings. This just shows how difficult it is to take a five-wicket haul. There have been some bowlers who have not only tormented the opposition with their bowling but have picked the five-fors in the space of just a few balls. In this article, we will take a look at bowlers with the quickest five-for in ODIs.

Quickest five-for in ODIs

The record for the quickest five-for in ODIs is 16 balls. There have been three players who have picked five-wicket hauls in a matter of 16 legal deliveries. The record was made by Chaminda Vaas in the 2003 World Cup. It was equalled earlier this year by USA pacer, Ali Khan and recently in the Asia Cup final Mohammed Sraj joined the list for taking the quickest five-for.

Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas became the first man to take a five-wicket haul in just 16 balls in the 2003 World Cup against Bangladesh. Vaas taking a five-wicket haul in 16 balls was one of the few records he broke during that game. He took a hat-trick on the first three balls of the innings and took another wicket on the fifth ball of the innings. It was the first time a batter batting at number six faced a ball in the first over of an ODI. The Sri Lankan pacer dismissed Hannan Sarkar, Mohammad Ashraful, Ehsanul Haque, Sanuar Hossain and Al Sahariar to complete his five-wicket haul in just 16 balls. Vaas even took the final wicket of the innings dismissing Mashrafe Mortaza. He ended with the figures of 9.1-2-25-6.

Ali Khan

USA faced off against Jersey earlier this year in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off where pacer, Ali Khan took a five-wicket haul in just 16 balls. USA was bowled out for 231 runs in the first innings. Defending a slowish total, Ali Khan shared the new ball with Saurabh Netravalkar. Ali in just his first over dismissed Harrison Carlyon. In his second over the pacer dismissed Nick Greenwood. In the first four balls of his third over, Ali dismissed Josh Lawrenson, Jake Dunford and Dominic Blampied. Despite being reduced to just 17/5, Jersey looked set to win needing 33 runs in 30 balls with two wickets left. Ali returned again to take the remaining two wickets bowling out Jersey for 206 runs. He ended with the figures of 9.4-0-32-7.

Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj played a crucial role in India’s triumph in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj sharing the new ball wreaked havoc on the Lankan batters. Bumrah took a wicket in the first over. Siraj started with a maiden over from the other end. In his second over, Siraj took four wickets dismissing Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva. On the fourth ball of his following over, Siraj dismissed Sri Lankan skipper, Dasun Shanaka. The Indian pacer took another wicket and ended with the figures of 7-1-21-6.

Conclusion

In the world of cricket, taking a five-wicket haul is a rare and remarkable achievement. Some even argue that it’s more challenging than scoring a century. The statistics certainly paint a compelling picture, with legends like Waqar Younis amassing 13 five-fors in ODIs, while Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with an astonishing 49 centuries. To put it in perspective, Waqar took a five-wicket haul approximately every 20 innings, whereas Tendulkar scored a century every nine innings. This discrepancy highlights the immense difficulty of achieving a five-wicket haul. In this article, we delved into the fascinating world of bowlers who secured the quickest five-wicket hauls in ODIs, an accomplishment reserved for a select few. Chaminda Vaas, Ali Khan and Mohammed Siraj etched their names in cricket history, with the record for the fastest five-for standing at just 16 balls.

These bowlers not only showcased their exceptional skills but also the rare ability to dismantle an opposition’s batting lineup in record time. The pursuit of a five-wicket haul remains a formidable challenge, making these performances all the more impressive and unforgettable in the world of cricket.