Indian pace bowler Mohammed Siraj made history with a bold move in the 2023 Asia Cup Final in Colombo, which took place on September 17. This 29-year-old powerhouse was the centre of attention for a whole two hours.
The dreamlike performance by Siraj culminated with a hypnotising 6/21. Only 50 runs were scored by Sri Lanka in 15.2 overs of play. He had a career-best over during this show, taking four wickets to reduce Sri Lanka from 8/1 after three overs to 12/5 after four.
By doing so, he became the first Indian bowler in the history of men’s ODIs to take four wickets in one over. Before we go on to the Indian sensation, let’s take a look at the exclusive group of bowlers who have accomplished this.
Top 5 Bowlers To Take 4 Wickets In An Over In ODI’s:
Chaminda Vaas v. BAN 2003
In a 2003 World Cup game against Bangladesh, Chaminda Vaas provided the opening salvo. He bowled well, getting the wickets of Hannan Sarkar, Mohammad Ashraful, Ehsanul Haque, and Sanuar Hossain.
Mohammad Sami vs. New Zealand 2003
Pakistan’s Mohammad Sami posted his greatest One-Day International (ODI) numbers ever on December 1, 2003. In the 36th over, he took out Jacob Oram, Tama Canning, Daniel Vettori, and Paul Hitchcock for a total of five wickets and ten runs.
Lasith Malinga vs. South Africa 2007
Cricket fans were blown away by Lasith Malinga’s four-wicket over against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup. In addition to Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall and Makhaya Ntini were also among his victims.
Adil Rashid vs. WI 2019
With Adil Rashid’s masterful leadership, England triumphed against the West Indies. A 29-run victory was clinched when he dismissed Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, and Oshane Thomas in quick succession.
Mohammad Siraj vs. Sri Lanka 2023
To bring things up to date, Siraj’s exploits in the 2023 Asia Cup Final were a sight to see. Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samawickrama were out in the first over he bowled. Despite Dhananjaya de Silva avoiding the hat-trick ball, Siraj got the last laugh by sending him packing with an outswing. Charith Asalanka was the next to follow.
Looking back on these historic moments in cricket, it’s clear that taking four wickets in an over requires a high level of talent and nerve. Each of these bowlers made their mark in cricket lore with a remarkable performance that inspired awe in the hearts of fans everywhere. These are the kinds of plays that make cricket so memorable.
