Best Bowling Figures in a Single ODI Innings: The Record Holders
Taking seven, eight or even ten wickets in a 50-over innings is one of cricket's most extraordinary individual achievements. These are the best ODI bowling figures ever recorded.
A bowler taking seven or more wickets in a single ODI innings is among cricket's rarest individual performances. Limited-overs cricket inherently restricts a single bowler's opportunities — only ten overs are available in a 50-over match — making mass wicket-hauls more difficult than in Tests where a bowler can return for spell after spell. The record for best ODI bowling figures reflects moments when a single bowler was so dominant that opposing batting lineups crumbled despite the structural advantages ODI cricket gives to batters.
The All-Time Record
Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka holds the record for best bowling figures in an ODI with 8 for 19 against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2001. Vaas took eight wickets in nine overs while conceding only 19 runs — a performance so dominant that Zimbabwe were dismissed for 38 runs in total. The match conditions — a seaming pitch and perfect bowling conditions — contributed, but Vaas's swing and seam bowling at its absolute best produced figures that have not been matched in the 25 years since. The 8 for 19 remains the pinnacle of ODI bowling.
Muttiah Muralitharan took 7 for 30 against India in Sharjah in 2000 — the best ODI figures by a spinner. Shane Bond of New Zealand took 6 for 23 against Australia in 2002. Waqar Younis took 7 for 36 against England in 2001. These figures all came against significantly stronger opposition than some record holders faced, making the comparison between records more nuanced than simply comparing numbers.
Women's ODI Bowling Records
In women's ODI cricket, Anisa Mohammed of West Indies holds the record for best bowling figures with 7 for 22 against Bangladesh. Shabnim Ismail of South Africa and Ellyse Perry of Australia have also taken seven wickets in women's ODI innings. Women's ODI cricket has seen rapid improvement in bowling skill levels as professionalism has increased, and bowling records have been regularly challenged as the women's game has developed its global footprint.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best bowling analysis in a single Test innings?
Jim Laker of England took 10 for 53 against Australia at Old Trafford in 1956 — the only instance of a bowler taking all ten wickets in a Test innings. In the same match, Laker also took 9 for 37 in the first innings, giving him 19 wickets in the match — the most wickets ever taken by one bowler in a single Test.
Has any bowler taken 7 wickets in a T20 International?
No bowler has taken seven wickets in a T20 International. The best T20I bowling figures are 6 for 8 by Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in 2012. Taking six wickets in 24 balls is extraordinarily difficult given T20's scoring environment.
Does economy rate matter more than wickets in modern ODI analysis?
Modern cricket analytics values both wickets and economy rate, using metrics like bowling average (runs per wicket), economy rate (runs per over) and bowling strike rate (balls per wicket) together. A bowler who takes six wickets but concedes 80 runs in ten overs may be less valuable than one who takes three wickets and concedes 25 runs, depending on match situation.