Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in ODI – Updated 2025

Bowling in limited-overs cricket requires skill, accuracy, and adaptability. In modern-day cricket, especially when the game has shifted toward the batters, bowling in the right areas has been important for the bowlers. The ball will be smacked all over the ground if the line and length are imperfect. Despite that, some bowlers have earned a reputation for bowling tight lines and lengths in white-ball cricket.

Taking wickets while maintaining a tight economy is difficult in limited-overs cricket, which makes record-breaking performances even more impressive. The top ODI bowling figures highlight moments when bowlers dominated their opponents, turning games in their team’s favour. Such performances not only affected the outcome of matches but also set benchmarks for future generations.

In the article, we take a look at the top 10 best bowling figures in ODI.

How We Ranked The Best Bowling Figures in ODI - Ranking Factors

In ODI cricket, batsmen and bowlers hold the same place in the level of difficulty they face. But, there are times when bowlers overpower the batting unit of the opposition by bowling exceptional spells and put in match-winning performances. We have ranked the best bowling figures in ODI based on some ranking factors, which are as follows:

• Wickets Taken: The number of wickets taken is the main factor to rank the best bowling figure, where it tells the number of wickets taken by the bowler in an innings, which is a core factor, and where more wickets means higher rankings.
• Runs Conceded: The runs conceded help in understanding the number of runs leaked by the bowler in the particular innings, where the bowler has taken his best spell. Lower runs conceded by the bowler add more value to the best bowling figures of the bowler in ODI.
• Economy Rate: The economy rate of the bowler tells the number of runs conceded by the bowler on average in one over during that innings, where the bowler has taken the best bowling figures.
• Opposition Quality: The opposition quality tells the quality of batsmen in the opposition to whom the bowler has bowled while taking the best bowling figures. The higher ranking is there if the performance was against a strong batting lineup.
• Match Impact: The match impact helps in understanding the overall impact created by the bowling in the match, whether it created a difference in the match or not. It tells how crucial the spell was in changing the course or winning the match.
• Overs Bowled: The overs bowled during the spell is the number of overs done by the bowler in that innings where he took best figures, where less number of overs taken to reach best figures indicates a dominant performance of the bowler in the match.
• Bowling Conditions: The bowling conditions help in understanding the conditions of the pitch, whether they favor bowlers or not, where bowlers adjust for favorable or tough conditions like spin on a turning track or seam in a dry pitch.
• Match Format & Stage: The match format and stage tell the situation of the match, where the bowler has bowled the best spell. This involves World Cup, knockouts, or high-pressure bilateral series matter more than a dead rubber.
• Strike Rate: The strike rate tells the bowler's ability about the Number of balls taken by the bowler per wicket – a lower strike rate indicates higher impact.
• Home vs. Away Performance: Home vs Away performance tells where the bowler has taken the best spell, as the home conditions could be more favorable than away conditions. The bowler performing in foreign conditions often weighs more than at home.

Top 10 Best ODI Bowling Figures - Updated List 2025

Here is the list of the top 10 best ODI bowling figures till date in the history of ODI cricket, which includes players like Chaminda Vaas, Shahid Afridi, Rashid Khan, and even Tim Southee. The list follows as:

10. Tim Southee (New Zealand)

Tim Southee is one of the finest bowlers in New Zealand. The former Kiwi captain had been an exceptional new-ball bowler in the ODI and Test formats. He would go on to become one of the world’s top new-ball partnerships with Trent Boult. Southee was exceptional in the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cups for the Black Caps and helped them reach the finals for two consecutive editions of the ODI World Cup. He was also a crucial member of New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship, which won the silverware.

Southee’s best bowling performance in an ODI came in the 2015 World Cup against England. He dismantled the English batting lineup by picking up 7 for 33 in his 9 overs. This helped the Kiwis to bundle out for just 123 runs. New Zealand won the match easily by eight wickets, and Southee was named the man of the match for his superb display of bowling.

9. Ali Khan (USA)

Ali Khan is a common name in franchise cricket. The Pakistan-born speedster moved to the USA. He featured in various private T20 cricket tournaments around the USA. Khan’s pace and yorkers caught the eye of Courtney Walsh, and since then, his life has changed. He made his debut for the USA side in 2016 and the ICC WCL Division Four in Los Angeles.

Ali Khan’s best bowling figures in an ODI came in 2023 against Jersey. He picked up 7 for 32 runs, and his sensational bowling display helped his side to win the match, marking a significant achievement for USA cricket on the international stage.

8. Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka)

Muttiah Muralidaran is the finest spinner of all time. The Sri Lankan offspinner is the highest wicket-taker of all time in the red ball format. He has picked up 800 wickets in the longest format of the game. He played for 18 years for the side and won the World Cup in 1996 for the side as well. Murali was lethal for his doosra in limited-overs cricket as well.

He has featured in 350 ODIs for the Lankan Lions and picked up 534 wickets in the format. Murali’s best bowling spell in ODI cricket came against India. He picked up 7 wickets giving out just 30 runs. Thus for his exceptional bowling figures, he was adjudged as the player of the match.

7. Charlie Cassell (Scotland)

Charlie Cassell is arguably Scotland’s best fast bowler of this era. He made his debut back in 2024 and had the best bowling figures in the debut match of his ODI career. The bowler picked up 7/21 in his first game which is also the 7th-best bowling figure in ODI cricket. His exceptional bowling display helped the Scottish national team to bowl Oman out just for 91 runs and chase down the total with 8 wickets in hand.

6. Andy Bichel (Australia)

Andy Bichel was a bowling all-rounder for Australia, who would eventually disappear after 2003-2004. It was shocking for a performer like him to retire from the international circuit. Known for his excellent seam bowling, he was one of the stars for Australia in the 2003 ODI World Cup. Bichel was a lower-order batter with hard-hitting skills.

Bichel’s bowling spell against England in the ICC World Cup 2003 group stage match is still one of the finest in the ICC major tournament. He rattled the English batting lineup with his fiery spell of 7/20 and also went 34* in the game to win the match for the side. Thus was adjudged as the player for the match for his exceptional bowling and decent batting in the match.

5. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

Wanindu Hasaranga has been one of the finest leg-spinners of this era. The Sri Lankan made history when he took the first-ever hat-trick for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup. He was also the first Sri Lankan to take a hat-trick on an ODI debut. Hasaranga has also been a brilliant lower-order batter for the side and plays aggressive shots.

Hasranga captained the T20I side in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but he soon stepped down after the major tournament. However, in ODI, he still has the best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan spinner and the second-best as a Sri Lankan bowler in the 50-over format of the game. He picked up 7/19 in just 5.5 overs against Zimbabwe in 2024.

4. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

Rashid Khan is the most lovable and famous Afghanistan player of all time. The wrist spinner has a huge fan following across the world. He has been an icon in limited-overs cricket for the Afghan side and franchise teams. Rashid has also been a solid striker of the ball in the lower order for the side. He was crucial in leading the team in the ICC Champions Trophy and also helped the country to qualify for the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024.

He has the best bowling figures in an ODI by an Afghan bowler. Rashid has a figure of 7/18 in his 8.4 overs against the West Indies back in 2017. He left the Windies batters clueless with his spin bowling and successfully defended a low score of 213 runs.

3. Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Glenn McGrath is arguably the best pacer in world cricket history. Known for his accurate line and length, he has been a match-winner for Australia in the ODI and Test formats of the game. McGrath helped Australia win three World Cups, bowling superbly in the final of each of the competitions. He is currently the highest wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup history. He has 71 wickets to his name.

McGrath’s best bowling figures came against Namibia in the ODI World Cup 2003. He picked up 7/15 for the Kangaroos, bowling Namibia out for just 45 runs and winning the game by a margin of 256 runs. He was the man of the match for his bowling excellence.

2. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)

Shahid Afridi has been one of the all-rounders for Pakistan. The former Pakistan skipper was known for his explosive finishing ability and huge hits. Afridi tops the list for most sixes in ODI cricket by any batter in world cricket. He was not only an excellent finisher but also a sensational legspinner. He was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 ODI World Cup.

Afridi has numerous batting records to his name. But he has some bowling records in ODIs as well. He showcased his prowess with the ball against the West Indies, where he picked up 7/12, which are the best bowling figures in ODI by a Pakistan bowler. It is also the second-best bowling figures in ODI cricket.

1. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)

Chaminda Vaas has been one of the finest left-arm seamers of his era. He was the most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka has. In the 2003 World Cup, he also scored a hat-trick off the first three balls against Bangladesh. Vaas has been an exceptional seamer for the Lankan Lions and helped them win matches single-handedly.

Vaas has the best bowling figures in ODI cricket. He picked up 8/19 in the game against Zimbabwe. This also included a hat trick. His bowling dismantled the Zimbabwe batting lineup, and they could not go past 50 runs in the 50-over format. They were bowled out for just 38 runs. This is the best spell in ODI till date.

Who has the Best Bowling Figures in ODI Right Now?

Chaminda Vaas still holds the best bowling figure in ODI right now with the best figures of 8/19. He has been one of the best pacers of Sri-Lanka during his era, where he has played 322 ODI matches and has taken 400 wickets at an average of 27.53 with an economy rate of 4.18. The best bowling figures in ODI are still not broken and are most likely to hold the record for a longer time, where bowlers nowadays lack consistency in taking wickets by bowling longer spells. He has the best spell in ODI currently.