Who is India’s leading wicket-taker against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup?

Team India will take on Pakistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14. This will be the eighth meeting between the arch-rivals in the one-day World Cup. Pakistan will need to rewrite history to win the game as the Men in Blue have emerged victorious in all the previous seven encounters between the Asian giants.

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad is the leading wicket-taker for the Men in Blue against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup. The 54-year-old played a starring role in two of India’s seven wins. In the two games he played against Pakistan in the World Cup, Prasad claimed eight scalps at an average of 9 and an economy rate of 3.69.

The former right-arm pacer registered figures of 3/45 in the iconic quarter-final of the 1996 edition Bengaluru. This match is remembered for Prasad’s famous send off to Aamer Sohail after the former Pakistan opener irked him with his antics.

Pakistan were in command in a chase of 288, but Prasad’s dismissal of Sohail was followed by a batting collapse as the chasing side finished on 248/9. Prasad went on to send back Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq as well.

While Navjot Sidhu was named Player of the Match for his 93 off 115 balls, Prasad’s dismissal of Sohail is considered by many as the turning point of the contest.

Prasad continued to torment Pakistan when the teams met during the 1999 World Cup in Manchester. On this occasion, he walked away with the Player of the Match award for his brilliant figures of 5/27 from 9.3 overs.

India set Pakistan 228 for victory, but Prasad ran through their batting line-up, dismissing Saleem Malik, Saeed Anwar, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram. Pakistan were bowled out for 180 in 45.3 overs as India registered victory by 47 runs.

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Srinath, Kumble among India’s leading wicket-takers against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup

While Prasad holds the record of being the Indian bowler with most wickets in the ODI World Cup against Pakistan, two of his long-time India teammates, Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble, follow him in the list.

Srinath claimed seven wickets in four World Cup matches against Pakistan at an average of 25.14 and an economy rate of 5. As for Kumble, he claimed five scalps in three matches at an average of 28.40 and an economy rate of 4.73.

Three Indian pacers, two of them retired, have claimed four wickets each against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup. Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra picked up four wickets in two matches, while Mohammed Shami claimed 4/35 during the 2015 World Cup match in Adelaide.