Harbhajan Singh, a stalwart of Indian cricket, left an indelible mark with his off-spin. His retirement in 2016 created a void in the team that was not easily filled, underscoring his profound influence. His bowling was not just skilful but also instilled fear in the minds of the best batsmen. His journey began in 1998 against New Zealand in Sharjah and concluded in 2016 against the UAE in Dhaka. The ‘turbanator’ graced the field in 236 ODIs, claiming 269 wickets with an average of 33.35 and an economy of 4.31.
Let’s check out the top three bowling performances of Harbhajan Singh in ODIs:
1. 5/31 vs England in Delhi, 2006
Harbhajan Singh’s best performance came against England in 2006, when India needed him the most. In the first innings, India managed to score 203 runs. The bowlers, led by Singh, rose to the occasion and decimated the English batting attack. In that match, Singh took five wickets and conceded 31 runs. He cleared the middle order, including some of the best players like Paul Collingwood and Ian Blackwell.
2. 5/56 vs Sri Lanka in Colombo, 2009
Harbhajan Singh claimed a fifer in the Compaq Cup Final in 2009, his third and final one in his career. India batted first and scored a total of 320 runs courtesy of Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh’s half-centuries. However, when Sri Lanka came in to bat, their openers got off to a good start. However, Harbhajan came in and removed Tilakrathne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene and brought India back into the game. India then won the match by 46 runs.
3. 3/27 vs South Africa at Centurion, 2001
In the first innings against South Africa, India scored 233 runs, with Rahul Dravid’s 54 runs. There was some support from the other batters, but none could score a half-century. India were playing a tri-series against South Africa and Kenya. Then came in the Indian bowlers who dismantled the stumps of the Proteas. They were down to 76-4 in the second inning. Harbhajan came in and removed the other batters, helping India win the match.
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