The bowlers in One-day international matches carry undue importance throughout the innings. Bowlers are always looked up to when it comes down to the line. It is for the bowlers that even One-day becomes thrilling to watch, bowlers have their seem and spin remain on showcase in front of the world.
One of those wonderful moments that changes the momentum occurs when bowlers rack up wickets and give their side an advantage in the game. As the 50-over format demands the bowlers typically need to maintain their stamina, spirit, and general bowling ability.
While top seeds like Adam Zampa have been wicketless in the year 2023, underdogs like Sompal Kami are emerging as the new face of pace in international cricket. Siraj is also turning out to be a great asset for India in its bowling department.
Bowlers from the most underrated countries are standing in front of the main-seeded speedsters. The line, length, pace, and techniques are changing in this fast-paced world of cricket.
As the 2023 ODI World Cup approaches later this year, all competing nations will be in fights to get the best of their bowling line out in the open. Here are the top five wicket-takers in ODIs since 2022:
#5 Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal)
Sandeep Lamichhane playing his first series after his trial
The 22-year-old Sandeep Lamichane is an emerging Nepalese bowling prodigy. At just 22 years of age, he is fondly known as the best spinner of his generation. With the country nearly worshipping Lamichhane, he has continued to stand up to his home crowd’s expectations.
With a total of 36 wickets since 2022, he is striding among the top ones. Out of these 36 wickets, 30 came alone in the first three months of 2023. Nepal recently clinched its ODI title back.
As the national team is constantly playing matches since the beginning of the season, the players are going all out to bring back the cricket galore in Nepal. Lamichhane is boasting an economy of 4.36 while averaging 15.03 this year. With an impressive strike rate of 20.6, he seems unstoppable.
#4 Bernard Scholtz (Namibia)
Scholtz hails from Namibia, the side which is surprising every cricket fan with their ever-improving cricket. The past two years are turning out to be the best for Namibia and Scholtz has a big hand behind this success. The 32-year-old left-arm bowler becomes unreadable by the batsman with slow-paced deliveries.
Between 2022 and 2023, he has scalped 37 wickets already. His 2022 season turned out to be his best with 32 wickets in one year. The tall Namibian is still finding his way into 2023 but promises to be the riding boat for his side.
In the 20 matches, he played with an average of just over 16 and an average strike rate of 31.78. His best figures of 5 for 22 surely tell a lot about the potential he holds. In 2023, his economy stays at 3.71 in only six matches.
#3 Mohammed Siraj (India)
Mohammed Siraj celebrates a wicket against Australia in the recently concluded 1st ODI
Siraj’s comeback is being lauded by the entire country. While the selectors are pleased to invest their support in the pacer, the Indian side is almost there to finalize him as the leading bowler for the soon-approaching world cup.
With 41 wickets in the 2022 to 2023 season, Siraj stands as the third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. In the six matches he has played in 2023, his economy stands at 3.99. With 17 wickets in the 2023 season, his strike rate is 15.6 which is just a piece of good news for the Indian side.
In the 15 matches he played last year, he managed to scalp 24 wickets with an average economy of 4.61. The 29-year-old is one of the best hopes for the Indian cricket team.
2) Ruben Trumpelmann (Namibia)
Trumpelmann, Namibia’s new spearhead is making the news with his fine line and length. The South African-born Namibian lefty is having the best season of his cricketing career.
Trumpelmann has scalped a whopping 44 wickets since 2022. In alone 2023, he bagged 15 wickets in only six innings he bowled with an economy of 4.26 with an average of 15.26. The 25-year-old is surely the next big name for Namibia cricket.
He has already bagged a fifer in the first two and a half months of 2023. Trumpelmann even bagged three crucial wickets against UAE in the tri-series in Nepal. He is showing the world the will to fight with constant hard work.
1) Sompal Kami (Nepal)
Sompal Kami is another big name in Nepal cricket. As he is getting an opportunity to showcase his talent on the national front, he is standing up to all Nepalese expectations. Even in the Nepal T20 league, he was among the top wicket takers.
His lethal deliveries have bagged him as many as 46 wickets since 2022. He stands as the highest wicket-taker till March of 2023. Kami was riding on an economy of 4.98 in the 20 matches he played.
He got 35 wickets to his name with a strike rate of 27.4. Kami at 27 years of age is genuinely raising the bar of cricket in Nepal. His right arm fast bowling has been no short of a spectacle to watch.
With him and Lamichhane constantly getting the right results, Nepal created history by qualifying for the ICC World Cup qualifiers.