Fastest 50 Wickets in ODI

Gone are the days when the fiery West Indies line up used to send shivers down the spine of every batsman. Now cricket has become a batsman’s game. With protection available for all body parts, batsmen have become fearless in their stroke-making. Boundaries have become smaller, bats thicker and fielding restrictions harsher. But despite these challenges there comes a bowler every now and then who wrecks fears in the batsmen’s minds. Let’s have a look at the top 10 bowlers who have relentlessly tormented the batsmen and bagged the fastest 50 wickets in ODI.

Player	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Mat
BAW Mendis (SL)	v Zimbabwe	Dhaka	12-Jan-09	19
AB Agarkar (INDIA)	v Zimbabwe	Harare	30-Sep-98	23
MJ McClenaghan (NZ)	v South Africa	Mount Maunganui	24-Oct-14	23
DK Lillee (AUS)	v India	Sydney	18-Dec-80	24
Hasan Ali (PAK)	v Sri Lanka	Abu Dhabi	18-Oct-17	24
Kuldeep Yadav (IND)	v Hong Kong	Dubai (DSC)	18-Sep-18	24
Shane Warne (AUS)	v Sri Lanka	Colombo (PSS)	13-Sep-94	25
MJ Henry (NZ)	v Australia	Hamilton	08-Feb-16	25
BJ McCarthy (IRE)	v West Indies	Dublin	05-May-19	25
LS Pascoe (AUS)	v West Indies	Sydney	27-Jan-82	26

#1. Ajantha Mendis (50 wickets in 19 ODIs)

Ajantha Mendis from Sri Lanka entered the international scene on 10^th April 2008 against West Indies where he took 3 wickets for 39 runs. Mendis having an unusual action proved difficult to read by batsmen all around and quickly earned the nickname of “Mystery Spinner”. Some of his most memorable spells include the one against India in Asia cup 2008 where he took 7 wickets for 13 runs and left the Indians clueless. On 12^th January 2009, he became the player who bagged Fastest 50 wickets in ODI in just his 19^th One Day International.

#2. Ajit Agarkar (50 wickets in 23 ODIs)

Ajit Agarkar made his ODI debut on 1^st April 1998 against Australia and is the only Indian to make this list. He was a medium pace swing bowler and a handy batsman lower down the order. He is among the bowlers who bagged Fastest 50 wickets in ODI. Agarkar got his 50^th wicket on 30^th September 1998, playing against Zimbabwe in just his 23^rd ODI and had held this record for around a decade before Mendis broke it. His 6 wickets for 22 runs against Australia in 2004 stands out amongst many of his great performances.

#3. Michell McClenaghan (50 Wickets in 23 ODIs)

Playing his first ODI at the age of 27, Mitchell McClenaghan didn’t take much time to prove himself at the International stage. He displayed an outstanding performance only in his first match against South Africa, picking up 4 wickets for just 20 runs. The left-arm bowler continued to display stellar performances and became the third-fastest bowler to pick 50 wickets in one-day cricket. He achieved the feat in just 23 matches. He is among the bowlers who bagged Fastest 50 wickets in ODI.

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#4. Dennis Lillee (50 wickets in 24 ODIs)

At number 3, we have the Australian legend, Dennis Lillee. Before Waqar and Wasim, the duo of Lillee and Thompson was the most feared, as both could bowl at speeds of above 150 km/hr. Hence, there is no surprise that Lillee has made it into this list. He grabbed his 50^th ODI victim on 18^th December 1980 against India playing his 24^th match and held the record for Fastest 50 wickets in ODI good 18 years.

#5. Hasan Ali (50 wickets in 24 ODIs)

Known for his pace and accuracy, Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali has become a vital cog in the pace department in a very short span of time. Ali has been winning hearts ever since he stepped took the ball in his hand at the International stage. The fast bowler didn’t take much time in hogging the limelight, courtesy his knack of taking wickets consistently. He stands fifth in the list of Fastest 50 wickets in ODI, becoming the fifth-fastest bowler to pick 50 wickets, achieving the feat in just 24 matches.

https://youtu.be/9ZnaQdoJ1J8

#6. Kuldeep Yadav (50 wickets in 24 ODIs)

In the last couple of years, every time the skipper had been in trouble, he would call his trump card in Kuldeep Yadav in a hope to fetch wickets. The left-arm wrist-spinner never let Virat’s trust go in vain as the Chinaman has always found a way to pick wickets.

https://youtu.be/3QUA58z57EI

A majority of batsmen find it hard to read the chinaman, as he claimed wickets at a much faster speed in his limited-overs career, picking 50 wickets in just 24 innings. He stands at sixth position in the list of the fastest bowler to have claimed the fastest 50 wickets in ODI.

#7. Shane Warne (50 wickets in 25 ODIs)

Shane Warne, the talismanic leg spinner made his debut in ODI cricket on 24^th March 1993. There is no surprise that the all-time second-highest wicket-taker in test matches makes it into this list. He accomplished the feat of taking 50 wickets in one-day internationals in just 25 matches against Sri Lanka in Colombo on 13^th September 1994 (he turned 25 on the same day). He was gifted with a sharp cricketing brain and continues to be the most threatening leg spinner the world has ever seen.

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#8. Matt Henry (50 wickets in 25 ODIs)

After seeing his performance in World Cup 2019, New Zealand bowler Matt Henry isn’t an unknown face anymore. He made his debut in the year 2014 against India. Henry is eight in the list of Fastest 50 wickets in ODI, taking 25 innings to bag 50 wickets at International cricket. He achieved the feat in the match against West Indies on 5th May 2019.

#9. Barry McCarthy (50 wickets in 25 ODIs)

Named as the rising star of Ireland’s squad in 2018, Barry McCarthy has been winning hearts ever since he arrived at the biggest stage. Barry McCarthy is eight in the list of Fastest 50 wickets in ODI, The right-arm fast bowler took just 25 innings to pick 50 wickets, becoming the ninth-fastest bowler to do so in One-Day Internationals.

#10. Len Pascoe (50 wickets in 26 ODIs)

Yet another Australian to make the list, Len Pascoe got his name in the record books against West Indies in Sydney. He had a short-lived international career playing just 14 test matches and 29 one day internationals in which he grabbed 64 and 53 wickets respectively, thus proving that he was not a bowler to be taken lightly.

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