Revisiting the Worst Bowling Figures in ODI Cricket

One-day international (ODI) cricket often produces high-scoring matches with batsmen able to play freely right from the start. This usually leads to tough times for bowlers, especially when conditions favor batting. Although bowlers certainly experience exceptional days when they dismantle the opposition’s batting lineups, there have also been instances of regrettable displays where bowlers have endured merciless onslaughts all across the field. Here,you’ll examine a few of the most unfavorable bowling statistics ever documented in the history as per icc odi bowler ranking cricket.
1. Mick Lewis (Australia) – 0/113 in 10 overs vs South Africa, 2006
The Australian pacer Mick Lewis holds the dubious record of the worst bowling figures in an ODI innings. Playing only his second ODI match, Lewis was handed the ball to open the bowling for Australia during a high-scoring encounter against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006. The Proteas batsmen battered Lewis to all parts of the ground that day in a batting masterclass.
South African openers Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers got the team off to a flier, with Lewis leaking runs consistently. He went for more than 10 runs per over throughout his spell. With no wickets to show for his efforts, Lewis ended up conceding 113 runs in his full quota of 10 overs. Australia lost the match by a massive margin of 159 runs.
Lewis played only 3 more ODIs after this match and never fully recovered from the mauling. This performance remains one of the most embarrassing for a bowler in ODIs.
2. Rahul Sharma (India) – 0/57 in 4 overs vs Australia, 2016
Indian leg-spinner Rahul Sharma conceded 57 runs in just 4 overs against Australia in 2016 to record the second-worst economy rate in an ODI innings. In pursuit of Australia’s imposing total of 330/7 in Delhi, India needed some early wickets. But Sharma bled runs from the moment he was introduced into the attack.
Australian opening pair David Warner and Aaron Finch took a particular liking to Sharma’s leg-spin. He was smashed for 24 runs in his first over itself, which included 4 sixes. Sharma failed to recover from this early beating, giving away 33 runs in his next 2 overs. Eventually, he ended with nightmarish figures of 0/57 on a day when nothing went his way. India unsurprisingly lost the high-scoring encounter.
3. Wahab Riaz (Pakistan) – 0/110 in 10 overs vs England, 2015
Competing with Mick Lewis for the worst figures is Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz, who conceded 110 runs without taking a wicket during the 2015 World Cup. Riaz was smashed all over Adelaide as the English batsmen set a mammoth total of 348.
Jason Roy led the onslaught with a quickfire century, taking a particular liking to Riaz’s bowling. Riaz was guilty of consistently bowling too short or too full, allowing the batsmen to play comfortably on the front or backfoot. To make matters worse, he also overstepped 9 times in his spell. Riaz’s figures dented Pakistan’s chances in a match where England successfully chased down the target.
4. Mick Lewis (Australia) – 0/113 in 10 overs vs South Africa, 2006
The Australian pacer Mick Lewis holds the dubious record of the worst bowling figures in an ODI innings. Playing only his second ODI match, Lewis was handed the ball to open the bowling for Australia during a high-scoring encounter against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2006. The Proteas batsmen battered Lewis to all parts of the ground that day in a batting masterclass.
South African openers Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers got the team off to a flier, with Lewis leaking runs consistently. He went for more than 10 runs per over throughout his spell. With no wickets to show for his efforts, Lewis ended up conceding 113 runs in his full quota of 10 overs. Australia lost the match by a massive margin of 159 runs.
Lewis played only 3 more ODIs after this match and never fully recovered from the mauling. This performance remains one of the most embarrassing for a bowler in ODIs.
5. Rahul Sharma (India) – 0/57 in 4 overs vs Australia, 2016
Indian leg-spinner Rahul Sharma conceded 57 runs in just 4 overs against Australia in 2016 to record the second-worst economy rate in an ODI innings. In pursuit of Australia’s imposing total of 330/7 in Delhi, India needed some early wickets. But Sharma bled runs from the moment he was introduced into the attack.
Australian opening pair David Warner and Aaron Finch took a particular liking to Sharma’s leg-spin. He was smashed for 24 runs in his first over itself, which included 4 sixes. Sharma failed to recover from this early beating, giving away 33 runs in his next 2 overs. Eventually, he ended with nightmarish figures of 0/57 on a day when nothing went his way. India unsurprisingly lost the high-scoring encounter.
6. Wahab Riaz (Pakistan) – 0/110 in 10 overs vs England, 2015
Competing with Mick Lewis for the worst figures is Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz, who conceded 110 runs without taking a wicket during the 2015 World Cup. Riaz was smashed all over Adelaide as the English batsmen set a mammoth total of 348.
Jason Roy led the onslaught with a quickfire century, taking a particular liking to Riaz’s bowling. Riaz was guilty of consistently bowling too short or too full, allowing the batsmen to play comfortably on the front or backfoot. To make matters worse, he also overstepped 9 times in his spell. Riaz’s figures dented Pakistan’s chances in a match where England successfully chased down the target.
Conclusion
One-day cricket can be extremely tough on bowlers, as seen from the record-breaking worst figures conceded by bowlers like Mick Lewis, Rahul Sharma and Wahab Riaz. Even the most skillful bowlers can have days where they are smashed all over the ground if the conditions heavily favor batting. These lopsided matches may entertain fans who want to see big totals and sixes raining down. But for the bowlers who endure these thrashings and leak runs galore, it leaves deep scars. With field restrictions in limited overs cricket, slight errors in line and length from bowlers are severely punished as batsmen go on the attack right from the start.
Ajker Somproday offers a diverse range of products and services to cater to the needs of modern consumers. With its user-friendly platform and top-notch customer service, it has gained popularity among shoppers. Whether it’s fashion, electronics, or groceries, Ajker Somproday is the one-stop destination for all your needs.