India’s World Cup heroes – Most wickets in single edition

India is renowned for producing wonderful batsmen and wizardly spin bowlers. However, when it comes to the ODI World Cups, it is the fast bowlers who step up and deliver the trophies. All of the top five wicket-takers for India in a single edition of a World Cup are pacers. Starting from Roger Binny in 1983 to Jasprit Bumrah in 2019, these bowlers have reaped great success in cricket’s most important tournament.

Jasprit Bumrah – 18 wickets

This was Bumrah’s maiden ODI World Cup but he was already a player to watch out for. The fast bowler was earmarked by the opposition to someone to play out and not give their wickets to. Yet, Bumrah ended up with 18 wickets in the 2019 edition. His best performance was against Bangladesh where he claimed 4/55. His economy throughout the tournament was just 4.41 runs per over.

Umesh Yadav – 18 wickets

Yadav has not cemented his spot in India’s ODI side but he gave a splendid account of himself in the 2015 World Cup. In the eight matches that he featured, the tall bowler from Vidarbha picked up 18 wickets. 10 of these scalps were in the group stage but in quarter-final and semi-final, Yadav took eight wickets. Although he was expensive against Australia in the semi-final, he snared four scalps.

Zaheer Khan – 18 wickets

An upcoming fast bowler, Zaheer impressed with his bowling in the early stages of the tournament. He bowled economical spells and took two wickets in four consecutive matches. His best was reserved for New Zealand where he snapped 4/42. He was off-colour in the final as he conceded 67 runs in his seven overs while failing to take a wicket.

Roger Binny – 18 wickets

The medium-pace bowling of Binny proved the most successful for India in their maiden ODI World Cup victory. He finished as the leading wicket-taker for India with 18 wickets in eight matches. He picked up at least one wicket in every match that he played. His best spell was against Australia as he recorded the figures of 4/29 in his eight overs. In the final, he conceded only 23 runs from his 10 overs and dismissed the West Indian captain Clive Lloyd.

Zaheer Khan – 21 wickets

Eight years later after the miserable 2003 World Cup final, Zaheer produced a scintillating performance in the World Cup at home. He also picked up a wicket in every match that he played. It was his last spell that proved decisive in the tied ODI against England in Bangalore. His best (3/20 in 6.4 overs) was versus the Netherlands. In the final, his opening spell of 5-3-6-1 gave India a head start against Sri Lanka. He ended up taking 21 wickets in nine matches of the 2011 World Cup.