Zaheer Khan was a prominent figure in Indian fast bowling. The former India speedster emerged as a valuable asset for the team when Javagal Srinath was nearing the end of his career. His versatility was evident in his capability to reverse old balls and swing new ones, along with his mastery over all three types of cricket balls used internationally.
Zaheer’s dedication to Test cricket shone through, highlighted by a memorable five-wicket haul in his final Test, concluding with 311 wickets, second only to Kapil Dev among Indian fast bowlers. But in the 200 ODIs that the left-arm seamer played for India he managed to pick up 197 wickets with an average of 29.43. While retired from international cricket, Zaheer remains active in the IPL, captaining Delhi Daredevils in 2016 after being bought for INR 4 crores in 2015.
Today is his 44th birthday, so let us relive his top three valuable spells in ODI cricket:
1. 5/42 vs SL in Margao in 2007
It was in the 2007 Sri Lanka tour, that the legendary seamer picked up his only fifer in ODI cricket. Surprisingly, with the kind of bowling figures that he had in Test it is not wrong to say that he underachieved in ODI cricket. In the lead-up to the 2007 World Cup, Zaheer Khan showcased his prowess in the third ODI of a four-match series. He played a pivotal role by dismantling the Sri Lankan batting lineup, finishing with impressive figures of 5/42. His performance contributed to bowling out Sri Lanka for 230, enabling India to chase down the target comfortably.
2. 4/19 vs Ban in Dhaka in 2003
In the 2003 edition of the TVS Cup against Bangladesh team, the star Indian seamer rattled the Bangladesh batting department. Zaheer was lethal with the new ball as he along with Ajit Agarkar made sure that the Bangladesh team were bundled out for just 76 runs. He ended the match with a bowling figure of 4/19.
3. 4/21 vs SL in Dambulla in 2008
In one of the interesting matches played between Sri Lanka and India, the former India speedster ended the match with a bowling figure of 4/21. It was eventually a match-winning performance to which he was also adjourned as the player of the match. The special thing about the spell was that he picked up the wickets of the top four Sri Lankan batters. The wicket involved the dismissals of Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Chamara Kapugedera.