World Cup 2023: Top 5 best bowling performances

The ICC World Cup 2023 concluded with the Australian side winning the title for the sixth time. On November 19, 2023, in the summit clash that took place in Ahmedabad, they interrupted the Indian team’s magnificent run of winning all ten matches in the competition by defeating them in the final.

Mohammad Shami ended up as the highest wicket-taker with 24 scalps in just seven matches with three fifers and a four-fer to his name. There were many other bowlers who did extremely well for their respective teams, as the World Cup 2023 provided surfaces with assistance to bowlers. There were also many notable performances from various bowlers.

And out of all of them, we shortlisted the 5 best bowling performances in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Here are the Top 5 best bowling performances of World Cup 2023:

5. Tabraiz Shamsi – 4/60

Tabraiz Shamsi (Photo Source: Twitter)

South Africa and Pakistan went head to head in what was a crucial game for both teams in Chennai. Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and chose to bat first, knowing South Africa’s tendency of misfiring during run chases. The Men in Green posted 270 with the skipper scoring 50 and Saud Shakeel making 52.

The total could’ve been much more and even past the 300-run mark if not for Tabraiz Shamsi. The Proteas read the pitch well to play Shamsi along with Keshav Maharaj. Shamsi, the left-arm wrist spinner picked four wickets including that of Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, and dangerous Iftikhar Ahmed.  

4. Adam Zampa- 4/47

Adam Zampa. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Australia had come into this match against Sri Lanka on the back of two consecutive defeats to India and South Africa. Sri Lanka elected to bat first after winning the toss and openers Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka scored fifties to give a good start to the team. 

But then Adam Zampa sprung into action and hurt the Sri Lankan team’s progress. He started by removing Kusal Mendis for nine and Sadeera Samarawickrama for just eight. Then accounted for Charith Asalanka for 25 runs as Sri Lanka crumbled to 209. Zampa finished with 4/47 and won the Player of the Match after Australia won by five wickets.  

3.  Ravindra Jadeja- 5/33

Ravindra Jadeja

India and South Africa faced off in the battle of big-wigs as the Men in Blue were undefeated and the Proteas had lost just one match. India won the toss and chose to bat first in Kolkata and posted 326/5. Virat Kohli made 101*, while Shreyas Iyer made 77, and Rohit Sharma had given a flying start with 40 in 24 balls.

It was expected that South Africa would bat in the manner they were doing, but it all crumbled in front of Indian bowlers. Mohammad Shami and Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets each, but the star with the ball proved to be Ravindra Jadeja. He picked 5/33 including scalps of dangerous Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller cheaply.

2. Shaheen Afridi- 5/54

Shaheen Shah Afridi. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Pakistan and Australia faced off in a crunch match in Bengaluru with lots of runs on the table. Babar Azam won the toss and put Australia into bat. David Warner smacked 163 while opening partner Mitchell Marsh made 123 as the duo clobbered 18 sixes in between them, adding 259 runs for the first wicket. 

Australia ended up making 367/9 in 50 overs, but the total could’ve been 400 or more, if not for Shaheen Afridi.

Afridi bowled extremely well after a poor initial spell and picked 5/54, including wickets of Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. 

It was a sublime bowling performance at the death by Shaheen, restricting Australia from reaching what could’ve been a record-breaking total. 

1. Mohammad Shami – 7/57

Mohammed Shami. (Photo SourceL: X(Twitter)

Mohammad Shami was on fire by the time India reached the semi-final stage of the ICC World Cup 2023. They faced their nemesis New Zealand in Mumbai in the first knockout match and Rohit Sharma opted to bat first after winning the toss. Virat Kohli scored 117, his 50th ODI ton, Shubman Gill made 80 and Shreyas Iyer hammered 105 in 70 balls as India made 397/4 in 50 overs.

In reply, Mohammad Shami ran through the New Zealand batting lineup. Though Kane Williamson (69) and Daryl Mitchell (134) threatened to take the game away from India, Shami dismissed both batters on his way to career-best figures of 7/57. This was also the first seven-wicket haul by an Indian bowler in ODIs and World Cups.