ESPNcricinfo Awards 2023 Men's ODI bowling nominees: Two Australians, two Indians, a whole lot of wickets
Fast bowlers from two countries put on a show, silenced a crowd, and wrote new records
Yash Jha
23-Jan-2024
Starcnado: Mitchell Starc ripped through India with his ninth ODI five-for • BCCI
Mitchell Starc
5 for 53 vs India
second ODI, Visakhapatnam
Starc launched his World Cup year with two strong performances in the span of three days: having hit India's top order hard in a low-scoring chase at Wankhede two days earlier, Starc bulldozed a full-strength line-up in Visakhapatnam. He accounted for Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul - the last two trapped in front with late inswingers - as India were reduced to 49 for 5 and eventually bowled out for 117, their fourth lowest total in a men's ODI at home. Starc closed out the innings to secure only his second five-for in the format since the 2019 World Cup.
5 for 53 vs India
second ODI, Visakhapatnam
Starc launched his World Cup year with two strong performances in the span of three days: having hit India's top order hard in a low-scoring chase at Wankhede two days earlier, Starc bulldozed a full-strength line-up in Visakhapatnam. He accounted for Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul - the last two trapped in front with late inswingers - as India were reduced to 49 for 5 and eventually bowled out for 117, their fourth lowest total in a men's ODI at home. Starc closed out the innings to secure only his second five-for in the format since the 2019 World Cup.
Mohammed Siraj
6 for 21 vs Sri Lanka
Asia Cup final, Colombo
In the first over Siraj bowled in the final, he beat Kusal Mendis' outside edge four times and didn't concede a run. In his next over, he claimed four wickets - and yet the lasting memory from it was one of the deliveries that did not take a wicket: the fifth ball, which Dhananjaya de Silva's push sent for a four was chased by Siraj, adrenaline pumping, through the vacant mid-on region all the way to the long-on boundary. The crowning moment was a scorcher to uproot Dasun Shanaka's off stump in the over after, which meant Siraj had a five-for in 16 balls - the joint-fastest in men's ODIs (for which data is available). Sri Lanka were shot out for 50 in 15.2 overs, making it the fifth shortest innings in men's ODIs.
6 for 21 vs Sri Lanka
Asia Cup final, Colombo
In the first over Siraj bowled in the final, he beat Kusal Mendis' outside edge four times and didn't concede a run. In his next over, he claimed four wickets - and yet the lasting memory from it was one of the deliveries that did not take a wicket: the fifth ball, which Dhananjaya de Silva's push sent for a four was chased by Siraj, adrenaline pumping, through the vacant mid-on region all the way to the long-on boundary. The crowning moment was a scorcher to uproot Dasun Shanaka's off stump in the over after, which meant Siraj had a five-for in 16 balls - the joint-fastest in men's ODIs (for which data is available). Sri Lanka were shot out for 50 in 15.2 overs, making it the fifth shortest innings in men's ODIs.
Mohammed Shami
4 for 22 vs England
World Cup, Lucknow
India's bowlers had a total to defend for the first time in the tournament in this game, but only 229. England's openers started well, and Shami was introduced early after Siraj leaked a few runs in his first two overs. Shami began by making Ben Stokes hobble, sway and miss - he was beaten five times in nine balls before the tenth made a mess of his stumps. With his next ball, Shami had Jonny Bairstow chopping on. His first spell read 4-1-5-2, and he returned 12 overs later to have Moeen Ali nick off first ball. He added a fourth in the 34th over - another set of stumps rattled, this time Adil Rashid's - as India won by 100 runs.
4 for 22 vs England
World Cup, Lucknow
India's bowlers had a total to defend for the first time in the tournament in this game, but only 229. England's openers started well, and Shami was introduced early after Siraj leaked a few runs in his first two overs. Shami began by making Ben Stokes hobble, sway and miss - he was beaten five times in nine balls before the tenth made a mess of his stumps. With his next ball, Shami had Jonny Bairstow chopping on. His first spell read 4-1-5-2, and he returned 12 overs later to have Moeen Ali nick off first ball. He added a fourth in the 34th over - another set of stumps rattled, this time Adil Rashid's - as India won by 100 runs.
Mohammed Shami
7 for 57 vs New Zealand
World Cup semi-final, Mumbai
A fortnight later, the batters having given India 397 to defend against New Zealand, Shami came on early and made an impact right away: Devon Conway edged Shami's first ball to KL Rahul behind the stumps, and Rachin Ravindra did the same one over later. Then, after Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell had taken New Zealand to 219 for 2 in 32 overs, Shami had Williamson flicking straight to deep square. The fourth ball of the same over, Tom Latham was trapped in front. Mitchell's wicket, with 92 still to get, was Shami's fifth of the night - but he wasn't done yet. He went on to get rid of Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson too, to claim the first ever seven-wicket haul in a World Cup knockout game.
7 for 57 vs New Zealand
World Cup semi-final, Mumbai
A fortnight later, the batters having given India 397 to defend against New Zealand, Shami came on early and made an impact right away: Devon Conway edged Shami's first ball to KL Rahul behind the stumps, and Rachin Ravindra did the same one over later. Then, after Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell had taken New Zealand to 219 for 2 in 32 overs, Shami had Williamson flicking straight to deep square. The fourth ball of the same over, Tom Latham was trapped in front. Mitchell's wicket, with 92 still to get, was Shami's fifth of the night - but he wasn't done yet. He went on to get rid of Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson too, to claim the first ever seven-wicket haul in a World Cup knockout game.
Pat Cummins
2 for 34 vs India
World Cup final, Ahmedabad
Cummins' words on the eve of the final, about quieting a loud crowd, turned out to be prophetic - best demonstrated when he delivered the pivotal moment of the game: the wicket of Virat Kohli, batting on 54, with 765 runs to his name at the World Cup. It wasn't a delivery of unplayable beauty but a reward for unrelenting pressure - Cummins had kept going short and into the pitch, not giving India's in-form batters any room to free their arms. Having sat pretty at 80 for 2 at the end of the tenth over, India only found the boundary four more times by the end of the game, stuttering to 240. Cummins finished his quota without having conceded a four or six; the last time a fast bowler managed that in a men's ODI World Cup game was 2007.
2 for 34 vs India
World Cup final, Ahmedabad
Cummins' words on the eve of the final, about quieting a loud crowd, turned out to be prophetic - best demonstrated when he delivered the pivotal moment of the game: the wicket of Virat Kohli, batting on 54, with 765 runs to his name at the World Cup. It wasn't a delivery of unplayable beauty but a reward for unrelenting pressure - Cummins had kept going short and into the pitch, not giving India's in-form batters any room to free their arms. Having sat pretty at 80 for 2 at the end of the tenth over, India only found the boundary four more times by the end of the game, stuttering to 240. Cummins finished his quota without having conceded a four or six; the last time a fast bowler managed that in a men's ODI World Cup game was 2007.
Yash Jha is a multi-platform content producer and presenter for ESPNcricinfo