Five-wicket haul or fifer is the terminology used to indicate a player claiming five wickets in an innings, be it in the Test match or the shorter versions of the game. Claiming five wickets in an innings is no mean thing and if it is a feat performed against world-class teams, it is all the better. Only a few bowlers in history have managed to pick five-wicket haul on ODI debut.
Playing international cricket is itself a daunting task. Along with it comes a lot of expectations and pressures. Cricketers, who manage to cope up with it finally taste success in their career. Taking a five-wicket haul is equivalent to scoring a century. Well, the bowler would be ‘on the moon’ if he is able to put up such a performance on his debut.
Let us take a look at the top 5 bowlers to pick five-wicket haul on ODI debut:
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1. Kagiso Rabada, South Africa on 10th July 2015
The 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada made his debut for South Africa in the first match of the three-match during the 2015 series against Bangladesh. The match took place on 10th July 2015, at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.
Winning the toss, the hosts chose to bat. They could put up only 160 runs in 36.3 overs with the all-rounder, Shakib-Al Hasan, notching up 48 runs off 51 deliveries with the help of 5 fours. Kagiso Rabada finished with the figure of 8-3-16-6 with the economy rate of 2.0 and that included a hat-trick.
He accounted for Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mashrafe Mortaza and Jobair Hossain. Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das and Mahmudullah Riyad were the trios who formed the hat-trick scalps reducing Bangladesh to 17 runs for the loss of three wickets in the fourth over.
The visitors romped home scoring 164 runs for the loss of two wickets with Faf du Plessis knocking an unbeaten 63 runs off 75 deliveries with 7 fours. Kagiso Rabada also won the player of the match award for his spectacular performance.
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2. Tony Dodemaide, Australia on 2nd January 1988
The former Australia fast bowler Tony Dodemaide made his debut against Sri Lanka at WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, on 2nd January 1988. Dodemaide went on to represent Australia in 24 games. The first match of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1987-88 was played between Australia and Sri Lanka.
Put in to bat by Sri Lanka, the hosts put up 249 runs for 7 wickets in their allotted 50 overs, with the opener, David Boon scoring 56 runs in 81 deliveries aided by 6 fours at a strike rate of 69.13. Sri Lanka, chasing the target of 250, could respond with only 168 runs in 4.2 overs. Australia went on to win the game by 81 runs.
Claiming the wickets of Asanka Gurusingha, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Guy de Alwis and Graeme Lebroy, the debutant Australian ended with the figure of 7.2-0-21-5 and had 2.86 as the economy rate.
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3. Fidel Edwards, West Indies on 29th November 2003
The West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who hails from St Peter, Barbados, has represented his country in 50 ODIs and has taken 60 wickets at an average of 30.20. He made his debut in the fourth of the five-match series played at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe, on 29th November, 2003.
Winning the toss, Zimbabwe put the visitors in to bat. In the weather affected match, West Indies put up a total of 256 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 45 overs with a well made unbeaten 127 runs off 141 deliveries with 10 fours and 4 sixes by the opener, Wavell Hinds.
Chasing the target, the hosts could put up only 150 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 32 overs, with the wicket-keeper, Tatenda Taibu scoring 66 runs off 85 deliveries with 7 fours. Fidel Edwards, scalping Barney Rogers, Vusi Sibanda, Craig Wishart, Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Matsikenyeri and Tatenda Taibu, finished with the figure of 7-1-22-6 with 3.14 as the economy rate.
He went on to win the Player of the Match award and is one of the few bowlers to pick five-wicket hauls on ODI debut.
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4. Shaul Karnain, Sri Lanka on 31st March 1984
Uvais Karnain, who played in 19 ODIs for Sri Lanka, between 1984 and 1990, made his debut against New Zealand on 31st March 1984, at Tyronne Fernando Stadium (presently known as De Soysa Stadium), Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
Put into bat by New Zealand, the hosts put up 157 runs for the loss of 8 wickets, with Arjuna Ranatunga scoring 50 runs off 60 deliveries with 4 fours. Chasing the target, the Kiwis were all-out scoring 116 runs in 34 overs, giving a victory to Sri Lanka by 41 runs.
Karnain returned with the figure of 8-1-26-5. His victims were Geoff Howarth, Bruce Edgar, Lance Cairns, Jeff Crowe and Martin Crowe.
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5. Allan Donald, South Africa on 10th November 1991
It was at the prestigious Eden Gardens, Kolkata, that Allan Donald made his ODI debut for South Africa on 10th November 1991. Later, he went on to feature in 164 games and picked up 27 wickets in this format. The first of the three-match series, 1991-92 was played in Kolkata.
Winning the toss, India chose to field. In their allotted 50 overs, South Africa managed to score 177 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Keppler Wessels top-scored with 50 runs off 95 deliveries with 3 fours. India replied with 178 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 40.4 overs with Sachin Tendulkar scoring a 73-ball 62 runs with 8 fours and a six. India won the game by 3 wickets.
For scalping the wickets of Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sachin Tendulkar and Pravin Amre and returning with the figure of 8.4-0-29-5, Allan Donald won the Player of the Match award and became one of the few bowlers to pick five-wicket haul on ODI debut.