Leg-spin bowlers have become an important role in the game since the advent of T20 cricket. Leg-spinners and their ability to pick up key player’s wickets have received a lot of attention in this format. Leg spinners are increasingly taking up the sport, confident that they will succeed at the international level. Shane Warne and Anil Kumble established a legacy that is now carried on by players such as Rashid Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Imran Tahir, and Adam Zampa, among others. Each leg spinner is unique, with his own set of special skills and techniques. Comparisons are difficult, especially between eras, due to changes in the nature of the playing surfaces and the shape of the game itself. Statistics may not tell the entire story, but they never lie.
Legends such as Warne, Kumble, and Shahid Afridi have in the past confounded many top-order batsmen, who are now being led by promising names from around the world.
Leg-spin bowlers are strike bowlers for their captains, and we will list the best ODI figures for them in this article.
The Greatest Leg-Spin Bowlers In History, With The Best ODI Figures.
1. Shahid Afridi 7/12 – West Indies vs Pakistan 1st ODI 2013.
Afridi’s 7/12 spell put him on the list of leg-spin bowlers with the best ODI figures. Afridi’s appearance came in a memorable match for the former Pakistan captain in 2013.
In the first innings, he scored 76 off 55 balls while batting at number seven, helping Pakistan post 224 on the board after 50 overs. Then he bowled the opposition out for 98 with a career-best 7/12 from nine overs. Only three batsmen in the West Indies batting lineup reached double figures as Pakistan won the match by 126 runs. Afridi dismissed Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, and Jason Holder, among others.
2. Rashid Khan- 7-18 – Afghanistan vs West Indies 1st ODI 2017.
Rashid’s performance against the Windies was in 2017. He was still a new entry to international cricket, but he was a gifted player. Batting first, Afghanistan posted 212/6. In response, the Windies were bowled out for 149 in 45 overs, with Rashid Khan’s attack on the batting order. During his spell, he took seven wickets in under ten overs. Rashid dismissed many people, including Jason Holder and Shai Hope. Afghan team won by 63 runs, and Rashid was named Man of the Match.
3. Imran Tahir – 7-45 vs West Indies Tri-Nation Series 6th (D/N) ODI 2016.
Tahir’s best spell came against the West Indies in the 2016 Tri-Nation Series. South Africa finished with a total of 343/4, with Hashim Amla scoring a century and Quinton De Kock and Faf Du Plessis both scoring fifties. Chris Morris also contributed a quick-fire 40. Imran Tahir took seven wickets as the Windies were bowled out for 201 while chasing that score. Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Jason Holder, and Carlos Brathwaite were among Tahir’s victims.
4. Anil Kumble- 6-12 India vs West Indies Final Hero Cup 1993.
Anil Kumble’s 6/12 ODI figures are still among the best in the world. The former Indian captain retired in 2008, but his record remains unbroken. His first appearance was in the Hero Cup final in 1993. India batted first in the final, scoring 225/7, and then Kumble bowled a match-winning spell to help his team win by 102 runs, which was a huge margin of victory at the time. Kumble got rid of Carl Hooper and Jimmy Adams, and he also cleaned up the tail.
5. Muttiah Muralitharan 7/30 India vs Sri Lanka 6th ODI 2000.
The match against Sri Lanka before the final was important on two counts for the Indians. Team India won the toss and was elected to field first. Marvan Atapattu’s (102) * and Mahela Jayawardene’s (128 run contribution) helped Sri Lanka finish with a total of 294/5.
Sri Lankan legend leg-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan bowled a sensational spell against India in the sixth match of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy triangular tournament, claiming a record 7-wicket haul for 30-runs, including a maiden. India was all out for 226 and Sri Lanka won by 68 runs. Muttiah Muralitharan’s 7 for 30 was the best one-day international bowling figure in history.
